Teen Sensation Garcia Drives Real Madrid to Copa del Rey Semifinals
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Synopsis
On February 6, Gonzalo Garcia's injury-time goal secured Real Madrid's 3-2 victory over Leganes, advancing them to the Copa del Rey semifinals. Despite a strong comeback from Leganes, Madrid's young talent proved decisive, showcasing their depth ahead of crucial upcoming matches.
Key Takeaways
- Gonzalo Garcia scored a last-minute goal.
- Real Madrid will face Atletico in La Liga soon.
- Copa del Rey semifinals confirmed.
- Injuries managed by squad rotation.
- Leganes put up a strong fight.
Madrid, Feb 6 (NationPress) A dramatic injury-time strike from rising star Gonzalo Garcia propelled Real Madrid into the semifinals of the Copa del Rey with a thrilling 3-2 victory against Leganes on Thursday (IST).
The 20-year-old Garcia headed in a cross from Brahim Diaz at the near post in the 93rd minute, securing the win after Leganes staged a comeback from 0-2 and seemed poised to push the match into extra time.
With a crucial Madrid derby in La Liga approaching this weekend and a UEFA Champions League playoff against Manchester City next week, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti opted for several changes in his lineup to mitigate injury risks, as reported by Xinhua.
Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe were omitted from the squad, with Vinicius Jr starting on the bench. B-team prospects Raul Asencio and Jacobo Ramon both featured in central defense, while Arda Guler and Brahim took on midfield roles.
Leganes fielded its best team and almost scored in the second minute through Diego Garcia, whose attempt narrowly missed the target.
Luka Modric opened the scoring for Madrid in the 18th minute, connecting with a pass from Rodrygo to slide the ball past goalkeeper Juan Soriano.
The score doubled to 2-0 in the 25th minute when Endrick found the back of the net with his left foot after Leganes struggled to clear another threatening ball from Rodrygo.
Unyielding, Leganes earned a penalty kick six minutes before halftime when Ramon handled Juan Cruz's shot, allowing Cruz to convert the penalty kick.
Vinicius replaced Rodrygo after the break as Ancelotti aimed to maintain freshness in his squad, while Cruz scored again in the 59th minute following a deflection off Ferland Mendy that wrong-footed goalkeeper Andriy Lunin.
Real Madrid regained momentum, with Vinicius hitting the crossbar and Soriano making saves against Aurelien Tchouameni and Brahim, while Dani Ceballos missed a close chance. Just as it seemed Madrid would head to extra time, Garcia emerged as the hero, clinching the match.
This Tuesday, Atletico Madrid secured a spot in the semifinals with a 5-0 victory over Getafe, while Valencia is set to clash with Barcelona and Real Sociedad will host Osasuna on Friday (IST).
