Real Madrid recorded a 3:2 victory over Talavera de la Reina in the 1/16-finals of the King's Cup and qualified for the next round, sportal.bg reported.
"The White Ballet" dominated the match and led by two goals after a precise shot by Kylian Mbappe from a penalty in the 41st minute and an own goal by Manuel Farando in the 45th minute. Madrid wasted several more wonderful opportunities to decide everything and in the end had to tremble after the hosts got a goal back through NauelArroyo in the 80th minute. In the 88th minute, Mbappe was accurate again and it seemed that this would put an end to the dispute, but no. In the 92nd minute, Talavera scored a second goal, by Gonzalo DiRenzo, and then Andriy Lunin was a hero, saving a shot by Isaiah Navarro in the 94th minute. Still, Real somehow survived and continues to advance in the tournament, while the hosts can only be proud of their fierce performance against the giants of Spanish football.
The hosts came out with Marcos Moreno and Gonzalo DiRenzo in attack. Luis Sanchez and Eduardo Rodriguez started on both wings, and the supporting midfielder pair was Isaiah Navarro and Pitou.
Xabi Alonso had chosen to start the match with Endrik, Kylian Mbappe and Gonzalo Garcia in forward positions. Arda Guler, Dani Ceballos and Franco Mastantuono were the trio in the middle of the field.
It is hardly surprising that the first opportunity of the match fell to Kylian Mbappe, who in the 3rd minute came face to face with the opponent's goalkeeper, but failed to overcome him.
In the 5th minute, the hosts claimed a penalty after Gonzalo Di Renzo was pushed in the back near the goal, but the referee passed over the situation without saying a word.
In the 16th minute, Endrik broke away from the defense and David Cuenca threw himself at his feet. The Brazilian asked for a penalty, but the referee decided that the defender's interference was within the rules and he cleared the ball first.
In the 19th minute, the hosts created their first goal danger of the match. The ball was crossed to Marcos Moreno, who headed the ball in, forcing Andriy Lunin to make the first important save.
A minute later, Endrik's situation shifted to the other goal, and Endrik missed a good opportunity, narrowly missing the keeper.
In the 25th minute, Dani Ceballos also attempted a tricky diagonal shot that flew wide of the post.
Two minutes later, goalkeeper Jaime Gonzalez made a brilliant save after a foul by Arda Guler.
The visitors' next chance came in the 33rd minute, when Mastantuono headed in from close range, but it went wide.
However, Talavera showed its teeth again in the 34th minute, when Gonzalo Di Renzo fired a powerful shot on the ground that flew dangerously close to the goal.
However, Franco had another chance Mastantuono, who again had a chance to shoot the goal with his head and was close again, but not enough.
In the 41st minute, Real still took the lead. The guests received a somewhat controversial penalty for playing with a defender's hand in the penalty area. Rather, there was one, but it was unintentional. However, at this stage of the tournament, there is still no VAR, and the referee was categorical that this was a violation and pointed to the white spot. Kylian Mbappe took the penalty kick and was accurate for 0:1.
In the 45th minute, the score was doubled. Mbappe broke through the byline and crossed sharply in front of the goal, where Manuel Farando did not intervene well and sent the ball into his own goal.
And the second half began with pressure from the guests and a strong shot by Kylian Mbappe, which went wide of the goal.
A minute later, the Frenchman made a much bigger mistake. He received a perfect through ball from Endrik, but, remaining face to face with the goalkeeper, tried to pass it technically, but sent the ball wide of the goal.
In the 67th minute, goalkeeper Jaime Gonzalez made another brilliant save, denying Arda Guler for the second time after a beautifully executed free kick.
The hosts reached their first chance of the second half in the 69th minute, when Pitu received in the penalty area, cleared space and shot over the goal.
In the 75th minute, Real were on the attack again and David Jimenez was brought into a good position, but his shot was blocked by the goalkeeper.
However, Talavera reached the goal in the 80th minute. Manuel Farando crossed sharply on the ground, the ball reached Nauel Arroyo, who shot into the goal for 1:2.
In the 87th minute, the hosts came up with a new opportunity after a header by Di Renzo, which forced Lunin to intervene decisively.
A minute later, however, Real scored a third goal. Mbappe fired a shot on the ground from about 25 meters, goalkeeper Jaime Gonzalez this time did not intervene well and allowed the ball to bounce out of his hands and into the goal for 1:3.
However, that was not all. In the 92nd minute, the hosts reduced their deficit again. A free kick by Isaiah Navarro deflected off the crossbar, and Di Renzo reached the rebound and sent it into the goal for 2:3.
Talavera came close to equalizing in the 94th minute when Navarro headed in a dangerous shot and Andriy Lunin had to make a great save to keep Real ahead.
However, the "white ballet" survived and advanced to the 1/8 finals, while Talavera de la Reina left the tournament with their heads held high.