Getafe 0-3 Real Madrid
Zinedine Zidane watched his Real Madrid team earn a comfortable win today in a game they expected to be tough. But after a hard-fought first half, goals from Raphael Varane and Luka Modric eventually saw off Getafe.
This Madrid derby was the big early kick-off in La Liga, which gave Los Blancos the chance, possibly very briefly, to go to the top of the league. Real Madrid started the game two points behind Barca in the La Liga table and the Catalan fans will have watched the La Liga 2020 updates of that match with interest.
Jose Bordalas has done a fine job at Getafe since arriving as head coach in 2016 and his side is in the hunt for a Europe League place for a second season running; but after dominating the first half, in the end, the hosts were put away by a professional Real Madrid.
Highlights of the game
Los Blancos have relied heavily on the goals of Karim Benzema this season, and he almost gave them the perfect start in the first minute.
Gareth Bale swung over a cross and Benzema steered his header from a tight angle towards goal, but Getafe keeper David Soria got down well to keep the ball out of the bottom-right corner of the net.
The hosts have been on a good run of form and they began to get a grip on the game. Thibaut Courtois stretched himself to make a fine save when Mauro Arambarri’s shot was destined for the top left corner. Then, Getafe top scorer Angel Rodriguez twice had shots charged down.
But it was a rash piece of defending which undid the hosts’ good early work.
Allan-Romeo Nyom hacked down Gareth Bale on the right wing and earned himself a yellow card. But his punishment became much worse when Ferland Mendy sized up the free-kick and then crossed into the danger area, where Raphael Varane and Soria went up for the ball and it landed in the net. Varane celebrated and Soria was awarded the own goal.
Varane almost turned provider just before the break, passing to Benzema, but Soria saved well in his bottom left corner. And Courtois kept his side in front, getting down well to save from Faycal Fajr on the stroke of half time.
Getafe had the best of the first half and Courtois had played a blinder, but the hosts’ hopes of fighting back suffered a heavy blow ten minutes after the break when Varane got his goal.
Again, the chance came from a free-kick on the right after Marc Cucurella had upended Isco. This time, Toni Kroos crossed and Varane beat Soria to the ball to plant his header home.
The hosts tried to fight their way back into the game but Courtois was on hand again to save when Angel had fed co-striker Jaime Mata. Soria also did well at the other end to keep out a low drive from Dani Carvajal.
With time running out, Vinicius Junior came close to adding a third for Los Blancos. But with 96 minutes on the clock, Luka Modric did make it 3-0, rounding off a fast break.
That was hard on Getafe.
Key statistics
Failing to break down Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu made it three draws in three for Los Blancos but they made amends today with a ruthless display.
The La Liga 2020 betting odds had Los Blancos odds-on to win, but while they had plenty of possession in the first half, Getafe won the shot count by seven to two, and three to two on target.
Real redressed the balance in the second half, finishing with seven shots on target to Getafe’s four, and that makes it 14 games unbeaten for Zinedine Zidane’s team.
But it was back-to-back defeats for the hosts after a seven-match unbeaten run.
What’s next?
Barcelona could only draw 2-2 with bottom side Espanyol in the Catalan derby despite the SBOBET odds heavily in their favour. That means Real are once again tied with their fierce rivals at the top of the La Liga table.
Real Madrid have two big tests coming up this week: first, a Spanish Super Cup clash against Valencia, followed by a home La Liga match against Sevilla, who are in third at the start of this weekend.
Getafe have two very winnable away games to look forward to: first, it’s a trip to Badalona in the Copa del Rey. They will then visit relegation-threatened Leganes.
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