Real Madrid defeat Valencia 2-0 thanks to an own goal and Lucas Vazquez

First Half

The opening moments of the match were helter-skelter, with both teams trying to get the go-ahead goal. Fortunately, it was Real Madrid who would have lady luck on their side.

Less than 10 minutes into the match, Madrid got the go-ahead goal to go up 1-0. Dani Carvajal’s perseverance on the play had him play in a dangerous cross which resulted in an own goal from Valencia.

Daniel Wass, a defender of Valencia, was unable to head the ball away from danger but instead, put the ball into his own goal.

Los Blancos fielded players with nifty footwork, which was something Valencia did not take to well. In the opening 20 minutes of the match, three players from Valencia were shown a yellow card.

Up 1-0, Madrid continued to apply the pressure having one of its best first-halves this season. The team dominated possession pinging the ball around their opponents making them dizzy. Striker Karim Benzema had some wonderful chances himself but wasn’t able to hit the target.

Marcos Llorente was a standout player once again with a bold performance in the opening 45 minutes. In the first stanza, he misplaced just one pass, with a stronger pass completion rate than anyone else on the pitch. It seemed as if he channeled his inner Toni Kroos.

When Valencia did have hold of the ball, Real Madrid worked swiftly and efficiently to recover. This allowed them to minimize their opponent’s possession and ability to test goalie Thibaut Courtois.