Real Madrid Advances to Copa del Rey Final After Thrilling Match
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Synopsis
Real Madrid battled hard to secure their place in the Copa del Rey final, with Antonio Rudiger scoring the decisive header late in extra time, culminating in a 4-4 draw and a 5-4 aggregate victory over Real Sociedad.
Key Takeaways
- Antonio Rudiger's late header secured Real Madrid's Copa del Rey final spot.
- The match ended in a thrilling 4-4 draw, with Madrid winning 5-4 on aggregate.
- Real Sociedad put up a valiant fight, nearly causing an upset.
- Key players included Endrick, Oyarzabal, and Jude Bellingham.
- Late-game drama extended the match into extra time.
Madrid, April 2 (NationPress) Antonio Rudiger's pivotal header with just five minutes left in extra time propelled Real Madrid into the Copa del Rey final on Wednesday night, after a challenging 4-4 draw resulted in a 5-4 aggregate victory.
Having secured a 1-0 win in the first leg of the semifinal in San Sebastian, Real Madrid may have anticipated an easier journey to the final. However, Real Sociedad delivered a commendable performance, coming close to an upset.
After Endrick narrowly missed with an overhead kick, Real Sociedad seized control in midfield, opening the scoring in the 16th minute. A well-executed play culminated with Mikel Oyarzabal flicking the ball to Ander Barrenetxea, who found the net with a low shot that slipped between goalkeeper Andriy Lunin's legs, as reported by Xinhua.
The visiting side faced an early setback when defender Nayef Aguerd suffered a calf injury and was substituted by Aritz Elustondo.
Endrick equalized for Madrid after 30 minutes, skillfully chipping the ball over goalkeeper Alex Remiro following a pass from Vinicius, after evading the offside trap.
For the remainder of the first half, Madrid dominated possession, but after the break, Real Sociedad surged again. They were rewarded when David Alaba inadvertently deflected Pablo Marin's close-range cross into his own net in the 72nd minute.
Eight minutes later, Takefusa Kubo's impressive run set up Oyarzabal for a goal that made it 3-1 for the visitors, briefly hinting at a possible upset.
However, Vinicius quickly turned the tide by assisting Jude Bellingham for a 3-2 scoreline, leveling the aggregate. When Aurelien Tchouameni scored with a header from a corner in the 86th minute, it seemed that Madrid had secured their place in the final.
Yet, a late foul by Eduardo Camavinga in injury time granted Real Sociedad a free kick just outside the Madrid penalty area. Sergio Gomez's delivery found an unmarked Oyarzabal, who headed the ball into the net, pushing the match into extra time.
During the first period of extra time, Madrid appeared stronger, yet the best chance came from Kylian Mbappe, whose opportunity was thwarted. Ultimately, after Rudiger's decisive header, Real Sociedad could not muster another miracle.
