Real Madrid edged past Valencia with a thrilling 2-1 victory at the Mestalla Stadium on Friday, thanks to a stoppage-time goal from Jude Bellingham. The English midfielder redeemed himself after missing an earlier penalty, ensuring Los Blancos climbed to the top of La Liga.
The match was marked by high tension and dramatic turns. Valencia took the lead in the first half through Huro Duro, capitalizing on a defensive lapse by Real Madrid. The hosts displayed resilience and seemed poised to secure the win.
However, in the 79th minute, Real Madrid’s winger Vinicius Junior was shown a red card after a scuffle with Valencia’s goalkeeper, Stole Dimitrievski. Vinicius pushed Dimitrievski in the back of the neck, leaving Madrid down to ten men.
Despite the setback, Real Madrid fought back. In the 85th minute, veteran midfielder Luka Modric equalized with a well-placed shot set up by Bellingham. The momentum shifted, and the visitors pressed for a winner.
In the dying moments of the game, Bellingham seized on a defensive error by Valencia to score the decisive goal in the 96th minute. His late strike sent Real Madrid fans into raptures and secured all three points for the team.
With this victory, Real Madrid moved two points clear of city rivals Atletico Madrid at the top of the table, although having played one more game. Manager Carlo Ancelotti expressed his surprise at the team’s slow start but praised their determination to overturn the deficit.
“We showed great character tonight,” Ancelotti said after the match. “Even with ten men, the players believed in themselves and kept pushing until the end.”
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Bellingham gives Real Madrid win at Valencia after Vinicius sees red
cgtn.com
