Real Madrid Lo
Hizo
Real Madrid faced Sevilla tonight at the Sanchez
Pizjuan. Tonight was a very
important night for los Blancos. A victory against the Sevillistas would make Real Madrid the
sole leaders of the Primera Division.
A draw would be enough to do this as well, but getting the full three
points would be a much better ending
to this half of the season, no? I
did not know what to expect from this match other than Sergio Ramos getting a
yellow card for excessive defending against his former team and mini clashes between
the teams sprinkled throughout the 90-minute match. I base this statement on past reoccurrences. Matches against Sevilla are always explosive. The reality of the situation
tonight...?
The men did not disappoint. It was anyone's game – it seemed – at the very beginning of
the match. Sevilla had done well,
putting a lot of pressure against los
Blancos. I actually believed
they would have scored first with the way Jesús Navas and Álvaro Negredo kept
attacking. However, it was Madrid
that opened up the scoring at the 10' minute mark, Cristiano Ronaldo with a right-footed
shot from the center of the box, Ángel di María at the assist with a through
ball. Sevilla nearly returned
fire, not once, but twice, putting Iker Casillas's reflexes to the test. The RM goalkeeper saved both attempts,
living up to his moniker of San Iker.
¡GRANDE IKER!
As expected, Ramos got his yellow at the 32' minute mark for
a bad foul or should I say a body check?
He did not seem fazed at all when referee Clos Gómez reached into his
pocket. Los Blancos upped the scored at the 37' with a brilliant
right-footed shot into the bottom right corner from José Callejón, Di María at
the assist with another through ball.
Sevilla goalkeeper Javi Varas made a huge judgment call in coming out of
the box, which I believe, had he stayed, could have saved Callejón's shot. Varas could not catch a break. Cristiano upped RM's score at the 41',
Karim Benzema with the assist.
It rained yellows throughout the 1st half, los Blancos receiving the first red card of the evening. That honor went out to our defender, Pepe, who received his second yellow of the evening at the 44'. Now the team will have to play a man down. Mourinho reacted to the expulsion accordingly in subbing out Callejón and upping our defense with Raúl Albiol. Real Madrid enter descanso with a lead in goals... and in bookings.
It rained yellows throughout the 1st half, los Blancos receiving the first red card of the evening. That honor went out to our defender, Pepe, who received his second yellow of the evening at the 44'. Now the team will have to play a man down. Mourinho reacted to the expulsion accordingly in subbing out Callejón and upping our defense with Raúl Albiol. Real Madrid enter descanso with a lead in goals... and in bookings.
The 2nd half was ridden with players clutching
their legs in pain or rolling around like tumbleweeds, as expected from this game, but never once did I think the
stop-start nature slowed the pace any.
It probably has everything to do with my GolTV commentators, who speak a
million words per second... en Español. Ivan Rakitic tested Casillas and his
reflexes once again at the 55', but San Iker saves and Madridistas sighed in
relief. Di María scored Madrid's
fourth of the evening at the 66' with a left-footed shot to the bottom right
corner, Karim Benzema at the assist with a through ball. Sevilla scored at the 69', Jesús Navas
with a right-footed shot to the bottom left corner, Campaña with the
assist. I suppose that even saints
are human too.
Sevilla was shown it's red card at the 74' with the expulsion of Manu del Moral for a bad foul. The playing field had been leveled, ten-against-ten. Real Madrid earns a penalty kick for a really bad foul on Benzema. The French international was fouled in the box, landing awkwardly on his right leg. Medics took him off pitch and Mourinho makes his third substitution of the evening, bringing in Hamit Altintop.
Sevilla was shown it's red card at the 74' with the expulsion of Manu del Moral for a bad foul. The playing field had been leveled, ten-against-ten. Real Madrid earns a penalty kick for a really bad foul on Benzema. The French international was fouled in the box, landing awkwardly on his right leg. Medics took him off pitch and Mourinho makes his third substitution of the evening, bringing in Hamit Altintop.
Now, Cristiano was on the prowl throughout this half to get
his hattrick... which he received at the 85', converting the penalty with a
right-footed shot to the bottom right corner. Los Blancos were
not done with their goalfest.
Altintop scored at the 89', with a right-footed shot to the bottom left
corner, Xabi Alonso with the assist.
Sevilla had a chance to save face with two minutes of added time, which
they used wisely. Negredo scored
for the Sevillistas at the 90'+2'
mark, with a left-footed shot to the center of the goal, Campaña with the
assist.
Real Madrid plays Ponferradina Tuesday, December 20th at the Santiago Bernabéu in the Copa del Rey. This will be their last match of 2011. In other news, los Blancos have been pitted against CSKA Moscow in the draw for the Last 16 of the UEFA Champions League. The draw for the quarterfinals will take place on March 16th. Until next time... ¡Hala Madrid!
Real Madrid plays Ponferradina Tuesday, December 20th at the Santiago Bernabéu in the Copa del Rey. This will be their last match of 2011. In other news, los Blancos have been pitted against CSKA Moscow in the draw for the Last 16 of the UEFA Champions League. The draw for the quarterfinals will take place on March 16th. Until next time... ¡Hala Madrid!
written by Gail Hidalgo
Amazing game!
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