Real Madrid had Vinicius Junior to thank as they came from behind to secure a 4-1 victory over Espanyol on Saturday.
An unfortunate own goal by Thibaut Courtois early in the second half put Madrid under pressure, but Vinicius came off the bench to inspire the comeback. Dani Carvajal equalized moments after Vinicius’ introduction, followed by Rodrygo’s go-ahead goal. Vinicius then netted a deserved goal to seal the win, and Kylian Mbappe added a late penalty to wrap up the scoring.
Match Summary:
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Madrid created several chances in the first ten minutes, with Kylian Mbappe seeing his early shot well deflected by Joan Garcia. Garcia continued to frustrate Madrid with crucial saves, especially against Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, as the hosts controlled 82% possession but failed to break the deadlock in the first half.
Espanyol almost took the lead against the run of play when Carlos Romero fired a shot just wide after the break. The visitors did find the net shortly after, as a deflected cross from Jofre Carreras resulted in Courtois’ own goal, giving Espanyol a surprising lead in the 55th minute.
Vinicius was introduced and immediately made an impact, sparking Madrid’s comeback. Three minutes after his arrival, Carvajal slammed home an equalizer following Bellingham’s low drive.
Vinicius then assisted Rodrygo with a brilliant outside-of-the-boot pass that allowed Rodrygo to finish from close range. Moments later, Vinicius himself got on the scoresheet, slotting home after a neat pass from Mbappe.
In the final moments, Endrick earned a penalty following a tussle with Romero, and Mbappe calmly converted from the spot to cap off Madrid’s emphatic victory.