Mesut Ozil grabbed two goals as Real Madrid twice came from behind to defeat Real Valladolid 3-2 on Saturday to close to within eight points of Barcelona at the top of La Liga.
The German international’s brace included an exquisitely curled, left-footed winner from a free-kick on 71 minutes to keep Madrid on the tails of Barca and second-placed Atletico Madrid.
Former Manchester United striker Manucho twice gave Valladolid first-half leads that Karim Benzema and Ozil canceled out.
Photo: AFP
Afterwards, Real coach Jose Mourinho sent out his assistant Aitor Karanka to face the press and he was full of praise for the match-winner.
“Ozil was exceptional and did a lot of work off the ball as well. I think we saw the Mesut that we all want to see tonight. We changed it around at halftime in search of more width and the win, and it paid off,” Karanka said.
Earlier, Mourinho had handed Nacho Fernandez his first start of the season in La Liga after an impressive performance in the UEFA Champions League win over Ajax last week, while Jose Callejon, who hit a brace that night, was also included.
Madrid began well with Cristiano Ronaldo hitting a dipping drive just over the bar, before Callejon tested Dani Hernandez in the home goal, but on seven minutes Valladolid went ahead through Manucho in their first real attack.
When Pepe cleared a dangerous cross into the area, the resulting corner was not dealt with by the Madrid defense and the big Angolan striker was the quickest to react to hit his first of the evening.
Within five minutes Benzema had equalized.
Callejon took advantage of a Mikel Balenziaga slip to advance to the bye-line and pull back a pass that gave the Frenchman an easy finish.
Hernandez then had to punch clear a swerving free-kick from Ronaldo, before Valladolid won another corner at the other end.
Taken on the left, the same as the opener, German winger Patrick Ebert again whipped in a vicious inswinger that was met by Manucho’s head without a challenge.
The impressive Ebert then smashed a free-kick just wide from distance, before limping off with a muscle injury, a big loss for the hosts.
Hernandez had to be sharp to tip wide a Ronaldo drive, but Valladolid were looking better organized and more capable of holding onto their lead the second time around. It was going to take something special to get Madrid back in the game and it came right on halftime.
Ozil, who had been quiet until that moment, headed toward the area on a mazy run and exchanged passes with Benzema, who returned a neat back-flick, before the German stabbed past Hernandez for the leveler.
Mourinho cut short Nacho’s return at halftime, replacing him with Angel di Maria, as a more attack-minded formation went in search of victory.
His side were quick out of the blocks, Sergio Ramos headed wide a Xabi Alonso free-kick, before Benzema had another shot stopped by Hernandez, who later made the save of the game from a Ramos header.
The hosts also contributed to what was an open and competitive game throughout. An Oscar Gonzalez shot that forced Iker Casillas into a stop was the closest they came to winning it.
However, Ozil’s class was again the difference and his perfectly hit winner ensured the points went back to the Spanish capital.
Also on Saturday, Valencia won 1-0 at CA Osasuna to kick off new coach Ernesto Valverde’s reign with a victory.
Spain international striker Roberto Soldado got the only goal on 55 minutes to move his side into the top half of the league, while Osasuna remain in 16th position.
Malaga thrashed Granada 4-0 to move into fourth.
Two goals in each half, and some clinical finishing, were enough in a convincing victory for the Costa del Sol side.
Joaquin Sanchez got the first, before Javier Saviola, Ignacio Camacho and former Manchester City player Roque Santa Cruz added the others.
Real Sociedad and Getafe stretched their unbeaten runs to five and four matches respectively with a 1-1 draw in which two headed goals came in the final five minutes.
Angel Lafita put the visitors into the lead, before Carlos Martinez grabbed a point for Sociedad in stoppage-time.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two