Real Madrid Stage Dramatic Late Comeback to Defeat Almeria 3-2 After VAR Drama
Real Madrid pulled off a stunning late comeback to defeat bottom-placed Almeria 3-2 at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday, January 21st, in a La Liga match marred by VAR controversy.
Almeria Stun Real Madrid with Early Goals
The visitors, languishing at the bottom of the table, shocked the Bernabéu faithful with a whirlwind start. Largie Ramazani opened the scoring in the 22nd minute with a composed finish after latching onto a through ball, before El Bilal Touré doubled the lead just five minutes later with a powerful header from a corner.
Real Madrid Fight Back Through Benzema and Valverde
However, Real Madrid refused to lie down. Karim Benzema pulled one back on the cusp of half-time with a clinical strike from inside the box, before Federico Valverde equalized in the 61st minute with a deflected effort from outside the area.
VAR Drama and Carvajal’s Last-Gasp Winner
With the score level and the game seemingly heading for a draw, the drama reached fever pitch in the dying minutes. In the 92nd minute, Real Madrid were awarded a controversial penalty after Lucas Vázquez went down under minimal contact from Almeria defender Kaiky Fernandes.
Image of Dani Carvajal scoring the winning goal for Real Madrid
Dani Carvajal stepped up to take the spot-kick and coolly slotted it past Fernando Martínez, sending the Bernabéu into raptures and sparking furious protests from the Almeria players and manager.
Key Talking Points:
- Almeria’s brave performance: Despite their lowly position, Almeria gave a good account of themselves and were unfortunate not to leave with at least a point.
- Real Madrid’s resilience: Los Blancos showed great character to come back from two goals down and win the game in the dying moments.
- VAR controversy: The penalty decision was highly contentious and will likely be debated for days to come.
- Carvajal’s heroics: The right-back’s calm penalty under immense pressure secured all three points for Real Madrid.
Real Madrid’s dramatic late victory keeps them within five points of La Liga leaders Barcelona, while Almeria remain rooted to the bottom of the table. The controversy surrounding the penalty is sure to dominate the headlines in the coming days, but for Real Madrid fans, the result is all that matters.
Here are some additional details about the match:
- Attendance: 58,740
- Referee: Alejandro Hernández Hernández
- Yellow cards: 2 (Real Madrid), 3 (Almeria)
I hope this summary provides you with all the key information about this thrilling La Liga match. Please let me know if you have any other questions.
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