Real leave it late to earn three points for Solari
Santiago Solari tasted victory in his first La Liga match in charge of Real Madrid but he had the 18-year-old Vinicius Junior to thank for their 2-0 win over Real Valladolid yesterday.
The club’s interim manager threw Vinicius on with the score goalless and tension building at the Santiago Bernabeu but the teenage striker delivered, before Sergio Ramos’ late penalty gave the scoreline a deceptively comfortable look.
Real will not mind too much how they prevailed as they ended a run of games without a win, a streak that had culminated in a 5-1 loss at Barcelona last Sunday which had led to Julen Lopetugui being dismissed as manager and Solari coming in on a temporary basis,
The opener in the 83rd minute was an own-goal, deflected off Kiko Olivas, but prompted by Vinicius’ weaving run and shot, the kind of exuberance Madrid’s toothless attack has been so bereft of in recent weeks.
Vinicius celebrated by running over to the bench and hugging Solari. He knows the youngster better than anyone at the club, having managed him with Castilla this season.
Karim Benzema was then felled with two minutes to go and Ramos converted the spot-kick to seal the victory. Meanwhile, Antoine Griezmann scored with a free-kick but Atletico Madrid could only draw 1-1 at struggling Leganes.
Griezmann’s effort in the second half looked likely to prove the difference but Guido Carrillo’s 82nd-minute equaliser earned Leganes a deserved point.
Diego Costa, Diego Godin and Koke were all struggling with injury and absent from Atleti’s starting line-up, perhaps with an eye on the Uefa Champions League clash at home to Borussia Dortmund to come on Tuesday.
But a stuttering run of form will be a concern too for Simeone, whose team were thrashed by Dortmund 4-0 only nine days ago and have now failed to beat Leganes, who are fighting relegation.
“We played for more and wanted more but have to settle for a point,” manager Diego Simeone said.
“The feeling is bitter-sweet,” added Saul Niguez. “We know it is in these matches where the league is decided. Leganes played a great first half but we have to be more ambitious and should have won.”