- Valencia took a 2-0 lead in the first half with goals from former Real Madrid loanee Hugo Duro and Roman Yaremchuk.
- Vinicius scored twice to secure a dramatic comeback.
- Valencia had a stoppage-time penalty overturned.
Vinicius Junior’s brace propelled Real Madrid to a 2-2 draw with Valencia on Saturday evening, delivering a powerful message to the fans at the Mestalla.
Returning to the venue where he reportedly faced despicable racist abuse last season, Vinicius defiantly raised his fist in front of the home fans to celebrate his crucial first goal. Madrid greatly needed the boost after conceding two goals in the first half.
Vinicius secured a point for Madrid, heading home the equalizer midway through the second half in a match where the team was otherwise below their usual standards.
How the game unfolded
Roman Yaremchuk received an early yellow card for a late and unnecessary challenge on Aurelien Tchouameni within the first few minutes, signaling a message that the formidable visitors would face a tough challenge. Rodrygo responded in kind to Jose Gaya but escaped a caution.
The intensity soon subsided, and Madrid took control of possession, aiming for a more promising opportunity than Eduardo Camavinga’s speculative header 17 minutes into the game.
Against the flow of the game, Valencia seized the lead shortly before the hour mark in peculiar circumstances. Dimitri Foulquier’s looping cross reached Fran Perez at the back post, and despite his mishit, the ball fortuitously headed towards Hugo Duro, who guided it into the net.
Moments later, Valencia extended their lead. Dani Carvajal’s wayward back-pass was intercepted by Yaremchuk, who skillfully rounded Andriy Lunin and calmly tapped the ball into an empty net.
Madrid’s reaction was sluggish, but they managed to pull one back with the last kick of the half. Carvajal’s deflected cross eluded the outstretched hands of the diving Giorgi Mamardashvili, allowing Vinicius to bundle the ball over the line.
Madrid showed more vigor after the break. Vinicius had a shot go over the bar, and then Jude Bellingham maneuvered into the box, testing Mamardashvili with a low effort that was pushed away.
The equalizer seemed inevitable, and Vinicius finally delivered with 15 minutes to go, heading home Brahim Diaz’s cross to level the score.
Unfortunately, Mouctar Diakhaby had to be stretchered off the pitch five minutes before the final whistle. The full weight of a falling Aurelien Tchouameni came crashing down on his leg, leaving the surrounding players visibly distraught.
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As the clock entered stoppage time, the referee initially awarded a penalty when Duro went down under pressure from Fran Garcia. However, a VAR review promptly revealed that the Valencia striker had simply slipped, overturning the decision.
In the last moment of the game, Madrid believed they had secured the win. Brahim Diaz’s cross into the box was headed home by Bellingham in the 99th minute, but the referee had already blown the final whistle before the ball reached his head. Madrid expressed their frustration heading down the tunnel.
Real Madrid player ratings
GK: Andriy Lunin – 6/10 – Helpless on both goals, made a smart save denying Lopez in the 60th minute.
RB: Dani Carvajal – 6/10 – A poor back-pass led to Valencia’s goal, but redeemed himself with the cross for Vinicius’ strike before halftime.
CB: Aurelien Tchouameni – 5/10 – Seemed out of place at centre-back, facing issues with Valencia’s press.
CB: Antonio Rudiger – 6/10 – Occasionally guilty of ball-watching but overall solid, had to bail out Mendy on occasions.
LB: Ferland Mendy – 5/10 – Struggled both defensively and offensively, leaving Rudiger to cover.
DM: Toni Kroos – 5/10 – Lacked defensive solidity and was underwhelming in possession with several misplaced passes.
CM: Federico Valverde – 5/10 – Had plenty of possession but lacked impact, making a poor pass for the opening goal.
CM: Eduardo Camavinga – 5/10 – Covered ground but didn’t take necessary risks to create opportunities.
AM: Jude Bellingham – 5/10 – Limited by Valencia’s deep line, had a quiet game.
ST: Vinicius Junior – 8/10 – Initially lacked composure but turned the game with crucial goals, delivering a poignant message with the first.
ST: Rodrygo – 5/10 – A needless early foul on Gaya stirred unnecessary tension with Valencia and their fans.
Substitutes:
SUB: Luka Modric (63′ for Kroos) – 7/10
SUB: Brahim Diaz (63′ for Rodrygo) – 7/10
SUB: Fran Garcia (73′ for Mendy) – 6/10
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