Injury-Hit Real Drop Crucial Points In LaLiga Title Race
19 April, 2021
LaLiga
Result: Getafe 0-0 Real Madrid
Date: 18 April 2021
Venue: Estadio Coliseum Alfonso Perez
An injury-hit Real Madrid side missed the opportunity to decrease the gap on LaLiga leaders Atletico Madrid once they were held to a goalless draw by Getafe on Sunday evening.
Los Blancos made six changes from the draw with Liverpool, with Karim Benzema and Toni Kroos only fit enough to start on the bench, as Marcelo, Victor Chust, Alvaro Odriozola, Isco, Rodrygo and Mariano all came in.
The visitors were at sixes and sevens in opening minutes but Mariano found the trunk of the web for Zinedine Zidane's charges in the eighth minute, but the goal was disallowed by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) for offside.
Jaime Mata came near to breaking the deadlock for the hosts in the 24th minute with a glancing header inside box that beat goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois but came off the far post.
With the game being played at a lively pace, Vinicius Junior had an opportunity to break the deadlock for Los Blancos six minutes prior to the break with a free of charge header within the six-yard box that was smothered by Soria and the sides went to the break goalless.
The overall game was open in the early stages of the second stanza and Enes Unal came very near snatching the lead for Getafe on the hour-mark with a cracking strike that was destined for the most notable corner but Courtois pulled off a stunning save to keep Madrid in the game.
Zidane made a double change in the 65th minute, as he finally induced Benzema instead of Mariano and Antonio Blanco instead of Rodrygo as they went in search of an opening goa.
Angel almost broke the deadlock for the hosts 20 minutes before time with a first-time strike on the edge of the box that missed the bottom corner slightly wide, soon after coming on for Mata.
Madrid were under a lot of pressure, as Nemanja Maksimovic came near to finally giving Getafe the lead 11 minutes before time with a strike in the box that took a nasty deflection but Courtois acrobatically tipped his effort over the bar.
Getafe had the momentum in the closing minutes, with Los Blancos looking for chances on counter-attacks but neither side may find the winner and the sides settled for a spot apiece, leaving Zidane's men three points behind Atletico in second place.
Source: www.soccerladuma.co.za
TAG(s):