After a wide open four goal first half, Real Madrid took over in the second half and held off a late charge from Real Valladolid to claim a 4-3 victory. Cristiano Ronaldo led Los Merengues with a brace that will at least allow Madrid to hold onto the league title for another week.
Real Madrid vs. Real Valladolid: Final score 4-3, Ronaldo brace extends the title race another week
Real Madrid aren’t going to win La Liga this season but they’re certainly not going to make it easy for Barcelona either as Cristiano Ronaldo’s brace will force Barca to wait another week to clinch.
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Valladolid got off to a flying start in the 8th minute after Angel Di Maria's long cross field pass was intercepted by Óscar González in large part thanks to Ricardo Carvalho's extremely passive attempt to play the ball. González jumped in front of the Madrid defender, controlled the ball with a high boot and raced in unopposed against Diego López for the easy finish to put Valladolid up 1-0 early.
Madrid, after looking lackluster at best for most of the half, finally responded in the 26th minute as Di Maria’s shot in from outside the Valladolid area was deflected by Marc Valiente into the net. Cristiano Ronaldo doubled the lead in the 32nd minute with a nice header inside the far post off a cross from Di Maria.
Normalcy restored...or not.
Two minutes later Valladolid struck back thanks to some more poor defending as Javi Guerra got in behind the Madrid defense and finished off a low cross from Omar Ramos as he was falling over.
Madrid came out fast in the second half reclaiming the lead four minutes from the break. Karim Benzema's short pass from the center of the area was slightly deflected but still ended up on the foot of Kaká who launched a low show past Jaime Jiménez Merlo to make it 3-2.
Despite a valiant effort from Valladolid it was Madrid who ultimately pulled away late. In the 70th minute Ronaldo scored his second goal of the match, heading home a corner from Mesut Özil.
Valladolid made the final minutes interesting after Nacho’s headed clearance was sensationally volleyed past López by Lluis Sastre from 20-yards out. The goal was Sastre’s first ever goal in the top flight and closed Valladolid to within a goal with three minutes left to play.
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