Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior’s extra time goals were enough for Real Madrid fend off a ten man Atletico Madrid in their Copa del Rey quarter-final clash.
Atleti had taken an early lead through Alvaro Morata before goals from Rodrygo in the final 10 minutes took the game to extra time, and then Benzema’s 104th minute goal and Vinicius’ 121st minute goal sealed the win.
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After a midfield battle that lasted a solid 18 minutes, Atletico Madrid found a way into the final third and into the lead thanks to Morata. Some poor defending from Ferland Mendy and Eduardo Camavinga – both of whom were ball-watching – in the left-back area allowed Koke to clip the ball through to an unmarked Nahuel Molina who was able to pass the ball across goal to the feet of Morata, who subsequently tapped home.
Eder Militao really should have drawn his side level 10 minutes later when presented with an opportunity to head the home ball into an empty net from about two yards…which he wasn’t able to take. A vicious set piece delivery from the right courtesy of Toni Kroos gifted Militao this chance, but after Jan Oblak flapped at the ball the Brazilian could only head over the crossbar.
Los Blancos began to push forward with much more conviction in the second half, with a Nacho Fernandez low, drilled, cross into the box almost being bundled in by Karim Benzema. The French forward then forced Oblak into his first save of the game shortly after, seeing his well-struck effort from the edge of the box saved by the Atleti number one.
At the other end of the pitch, Courtois was forced into his first real action of the game (bar picking the ball out of his net) in the 72nd minute by an Antoine Griezmann free-kick. Griezmann struck well, but Courtois was equal to it and palmed the ball over the crossbar.
Real Madrid would finally find a breakthrough in the 79th minute through a moment of magic from Rodrygo. The substitute brilliantly jinked past three players on his way…
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