MADRID: Jude Bellingham rescued Real Madrid with a 95th minute strike to secure a 2-1 win over Getafe on Saturday and maintain Los Blancos’ perfect start to La Liga, as they played with a closed roof at the Santiago Bernabeu for the first time.
The England international netted his fifth goal in four games to snatch three points from the derby clash, Madrid’s first game without injured forward Vinicius Junior.
Joselu, the Brazilian’s replacement, had pulled Carlo Ancelotti’s side level after former Madrid striker Borja Mayoral sent the visitors ahead in the first match under a roof at Madrid’s remodelled stadium.
La Liga leaders Madrid started the season with their opening three games all away from home, while construction work continued.
It allowed for the retractable roof to be finished and it was closed on Saturday, with rain hitting the Spanish capital — but not the players.
“I think we were just winners, we did well in attack and made a lot of chances,” said Joselu.
“Getafe make it difficult for you but the Bernabeu pushed us on — these fans are incredible and Madrid never give up.”
Getafe did not include on loan Manchester United striker Mason Greenwood in their squad, after his arrival on Friday.
The forward had been suspended by the Red Devils since January 2022 after facing allegations of abuse although prosecutors subsequently dropped the charges.
Mayoral started up front for the visitors and, looking to keep his place in the side, he quickly pounced to put the visitors ahead.
The striker capitalized on a heavy Fran Garcia backwards pass, nipping in to pick up the ball, round Kepa Arrizabalaga and slot home after 11 minutes.
Madrid thought Bellingham had won a penalty when he tumbled under pressure from Carles Alena, but the referee decided to cancel the spot kick after a VAR review.
The Englishman had started to fall before contact was made.
Luka Modric came close with a diving header, well saved by Getafe goalkeeper David Soria, ensuring his team’s lead would remain into the second half — but not much longer.
Joselu netted his first Madrid goal from close range when Getafe could not clear Modric’s teasing cross with the outside of his boot.
The Spain international started in place of Vinicius, who suffered a hamstring injury last week and is set to miss over a month.
“It’s a shame to go behind on the scoreboard but the team worked and we came out with the mentality that we would turn it around,” added Joselu.
Veteran midfielder Toni Kroos stepped up a gear in the second half and nearly sent Madrid ahead, hitting the post with a low drive and then forcing a save from Soria with another effort from the rebound.
Madrid turned the screw, Dani Carvajal firing against the upright before the inspired Soria made another impressive one-handed save to thwart Joselu.
However the goalkeeper’s only mistake ended up costing his team, when he could only parry Lucas Vazquez’s long-range drive and Bellingham reacted quickest to turn the loose ball home.
The former Borussia Dortmund man has now scored five of Madrid’s eight La Liga goals this season, helping to fill the void left by Ballon d’Or holder Karim Benzema’s departure.
Bellingham joins a small group of players to have netted in each of their first four Liga matches, including Madrid’s all-time record goalscorer Cristiano Ronaldo.
Bellingham strikes again to earn Madrid derby win under stadium roof
https://arab.news/pjsc8
Bellingham strikes again to earn Madrid derby win under stadium roof
- The England international netted his fifth goal in four games to snatch three points from the derby clash
- La Liga leaders Madrid started the season with their opening three games all away from home, while construction work continued
Hosts Morocco face Mane’s Senegal for AFCON glory
- Final kicks off at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, where almost all the 69,000 spectators will be backing Morocco
- Senegal are appearing in their third final in four editions and are targeting a second title to follow their 2022 triumph
RABAT: The Africa Cup of Nations reaches its climax on Sunday with a showdown between host nation Morocco, looking to win the title for the first time in 50 years, and Sadio Mane’s powerful Senegal side.
The final kicks off at 1900 GMT at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, where almost all the 69,000 spectators will be backing Morocco, captained by African player of the year Achraf Hakimi.
The first AFCON ever to start in one year and end in another could be the second in a row to be won by the host nation, with the Atlas Lions aiming to follow in the footsteps of Ivory Coast, crowned champions on home soil in 2024.
Walid Regragui’s Morocco have established themselves in recent years as Africa’s pre-eminent national team, becoming the first from the continent to reach a World Cup semifinal, in 2022, and climbing to 11th place in the world rankings.
However, they have long been AFCON underachievers, with their only title to date coming in 1976. This will be their first final since 2004, when they lost to Tunisia when Regragui was part of the team.
Senegal, meanwhile, are appearing in their third final in four editions and are targeting a second title to follow their 2022 triumph, when Mane scored the decisive shoot-out penalty against Egypt in Yaounde.
“We dreamt of being here and now we have done it,” Regragui told reporters on Saturday.
He has been under suffocating pressure to deliver the title for the football-mad nation, and would possibly not have kept his job through to the approaching World Cup in North America had he not reached the final.
“I hope this is just the beginning and not our last AFCON final,” he added.
“Big football nations want to be up there on a regular basis. Tomorrow we want to try to make history.”
He added: “Senegal will need to be really strong to beat us at home, although they are capable.”
Morocco’s success over the last four weeks has been based around the attacking threat of Real Madrid winger Brahim Diaz, the tournament’s top scorer with five goals, and a defense which has conceded only once.
Security concerns
Being at home brings extra pressure, but can also be a huge advantage, and Senegal have complained about the conditions in which they were welcomed to Rabat ahead of the game.
The Lions of Teranga were based in the northern port city of Tangiers until they arrived in Rabat by train on Friday.
The Senegalese Football Federation complained about a “lack of adequate security” for the team’s arrival amid a crowd of fans “which put the players and staff at risk.”
It also complained about their hotel, the fact that their supporters were given fewer than 3,000 tickets for the final, and about being asked to train at the Moroccan team’s base in nearby Sale.
“What happened was not normal,” said Senegal coach Pape Thiaw.
“Given the number there, anything could have happened. My players could have been in danger.
“That type of thing should not happen between two brother countries.”
Mane, a two-time winner of the African player of the year award, said after netting the winner in the semifinal against Egypt that Sunday’s game would be his last ever AFCON appearance.
But Thiaw insisted on the eve of the game that the former Liverpool forward may have to rethink that decision.
“I think he made his decision in the heat of the moment and the country does not agree, and I as coach of the national team do not agree,” said Thiaw.
“We would like to keep him for as long as possible,” added the coach, who is without center-back and captain Kalidou Koulibaly due to suspension.
Off the pitch this edition of Africa’s premier sports event has demonstrated that Morocco is determined to be a successful co-host of the 2030 World Cup.
The tournament has been free of the problems that have plagued earlier AFCONs, the stadiums and pitches have generally been of a high quality and high-speed rail links show a country significantly upgrading its infrastructure.
