Real Madrid 3-2 Sevilla

Real Madrid made one of the most incredible comebacks of the season against Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabeu to claim three points and go on level with Barcelona on points at the top of the table splitting the title race wide open. After going 2-0 down, through an unfortunate Xabi Alonso own-goal and an uncharacteristic error from Iker Casillas to let Dragutinovic score from a harmless free kick, after 60 minutes Los Blancos launched a stunning comeback that saw them score three goals through Cristiano Ronaldo (60′), Sergio Ramos (64′) and Rafael van der Vaart (92′). The Madridistas also hit the woodwork thrice in a well deserved but thrilling victory. What better way to cap the 108th anniversary of the club than to become LEAGUE LEADERS!

Manuel Pellegrini made a couple of changes to the side that defeated Tenerife last weekend on the road. Arbeloa came in to the left back position while Marcelo, sporting new corn-rows, shifted up field to displace Granero who started on the bench. Sevilla started with a lone striker in Alvaro Negredo who was backed by Navas, Perotti and Capel.

The game started in a fashion that no one possibly would’ve expected. In the tenth minute of the game an over-powered Jesus Navas cross from the right made its way across the Real Madrid box to be recovered by Diego Capel who delivered a strong low cross which was forced in by Xabi Alonso under pressure from Negredo. It was an unfortunate incident and Casillas couldn’t have done anything about it.

Not bogged down by the incident the Madridistas confidently pushed forward and tested Sevilla’s custodian repeatedly on several occasions. The shots were not good enough to beat the veteran Palop who made a few comfortable saves from Xabi Alonso, Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo. Higuain had a very good chance to equalize when a Sergio Ramos cross fell in the right place for him to make a Zidanesque volley, but the Argentine shot right into the waiting goalkeeper’s hands.

Cristiano Ronaldo tried a clever lob pass to Kaka from a free-kick from a position where he should have tested the keeper. Kaka headed the ball awfully wide. The corners came then and again but there was no fruit. Iturralde Gonzalez blew the half time whistle and the players went into the dressing room with the score line reading Real Madrid 0 Sevilla 1.

The second half began and Manolo Jimenez brought in Frederic Kanoute, the veteran Mali striker, in place of the exuberant Diego Capel during the break. This was Sevilla’s second substitution as Konko was taken off just after 20 minutes and was replaced by Adriano Correa due to an injury.

Things only got worse for Los Merengues as Ivica Dragutinovic’s free-kick went untouched by anyone and into Real Madrid’s goal. Casillas looked at Garay and suggested that it was the defender’s duty to have cleared the ball when Iker himself should have done better to have parried it away.

Manuel Pellegrini then decided to make his first change of the game. He made a daring double substitution, getting in Rafael van der Vaart and Guti in place of Alvaro Arbeloa and Lass Diarra thus shifting Marcelo to the left back position. The midfield now contained three excellent passers of the ball with Xabi playing a more defensive role. Guti and Van der Vaart along with Kaka were given the duty of supplying the attackers.

It wasn’t the substitutes who started the turnaround. It was Marcelo – a player who was criticized for the role he played against the same team in the corresponding fixture away. The Brazilian was as always on the attack from the back and deflected in a low cross that became a loose ball that Ronaldo latched on to and scored. The comeback trail had begun!

It took just four minutes for us to equalize. With Rafael van der Vaart coming in, the supply from set pieces got better and a his corner from the left was headed in by former Sevilla man Sergio Ramos. The equalizer had brought back the dying hopes of staying alive in the title race.

Guti hit the woodwork from a stunning shot which would have gone in on any other day. Pipa continued his stunning form but then he could only get a taste of the woodwork not once but twice. Real had several other chances on goal with almost every single chance scuppered in the six yard box. Cristiano missed a chance that he generally would’ve not missed and Sergio Ramos failed to latch on to a tantalizing low cross that went across the goal line and out for a goal kick. Real dominated the possession through out the game. In the mean time Raul came in for Kaka with Pellegrini hoping to clinch top spot when the opportunity was there for it to be taken. Sevilla replaced Negredo with a defensive  option in Aldo Duscher.

It was inevitable. It took some time to come but then there was no doubt as to whether Real deserved the three points or not. The substitute Van der Vaart made the most of a goal mouth scramble, after Higuain’s header was initially saved by Palop, to squeeze in what would turn out to be the winner and three points for the Madridistas.

The Santiago Bernabeu erupted and so did the rest of the Madridistas around the World! League leaders!

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March 7, 2010 | Categories: Match Reports, Spanish Primera División | Tags: Cristiano Ronaldo, Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Ivica Dragutinović, Rafael van der Vaart, Sergio Ramos, Sevilla FC, Xabi Alonso | Leave A Comment »