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    Saturday, August 27, 2016

    Real madrid 2-1 Celta Vigo has suffered until the end


    Kroos' strike dooms bold Celta





    late Toni Kroos goal allowed Real Madrid to pick up all three points in their 2016-17 home opener with a 2-1 win over Celta on Saturday evening at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.

    Álvaro Morata opened the scoring in the 60th minute, only to see Celta's Fabián Orellana equalise for the guests six minutes later. However, a sensational strike from Kroos in the 81st minute handed the triumph to Los Blancos.

    Nevertheless, it was a very bright performance from Celta, who went toe-to-toe with the reigning European champions. Meanwhile, Real manager Zinedine Zidane will likely be concerned by his team's inability to form much of an attack early on. However, Real's resolve was intact and a spirited second-half performance is what paved the way for victory.

    Zidane got a boost with the return of midfielder Luka Modric, who was suspended for last week's opener at Real Sociedad. Otherwise it was the same starting XI that took the field at Anoeta, with Morata and Marcos Asensio the notable returnees in attack.

    Celta boss Eduardo Berizzo will have been delighted with how the first half unfolded. His team did a superb job in limiting the Real offense, as they made it difficult for the hosts to play out of the back. Instead of bunkering in, Celta pressured Real all over the field, and Real were noticeably uncomfortable going forward.

    Instead of receiving the ball on the run or in space, Gareth Bale, Asensio and Morata often found their backs to goal when receiving the ball, and at time Bale had to drop back into his own half just to get a touch. Outside of a trio of Modric chances, including one that rang off the crossbar just shy of the half-hour mark, Real mustered very little, with visitors from Vigo turning the match into a midfielder's game.

    Real's defence were also tested, mainly by the speedy Theo Bongonda down Celta's left flank, as the Belgian's speed created a couple chances. Perhaps with some better crossing or finishing, Celta would have gone to the half-time dressing room with the lead.

    Despite all their difficulties in attack, Real's individual talent would surface, whether it was a Bale free kick that grazed the top of the crossbar after a tip from Álavrez early on in the second half, or the countless runs from Marcelo down the left.

    For all their positive play, Celta were done in by some bad luck in defence that gave Real the opener on the hour.

     A collision between Morata and Celta defender Hugo Mallo at the top of the area on a Modric pass allowed the ball to roll right to an unmarked Asensio. Álvarez rushed out to close down on Asensio and managed to block the shot, but the rebound fell to Morata, and with the goalmouth gaping wide, the former Juventus man fired home for the game's first goal.





    The Morata goal sparked Real, and the forward should have made it 2-0 but had a right-footed shot bounce off the post.

    The need to add a second overtook Real, and as a result their defending suffered and permitted Celta to draw level just eight minutes after Morata's strike. John Guidetti collected a pass and was able to evade three defenders before finding the unmarked Orellana, who beautifully curled in a shot past Real goalkeeper Kiko Casilla to make it a 1-1 affair.

    After the initial shock of conceding, Real began their final push for a winner and started to peg Celta back in their own half. Yet the Galicians still had some looks via the counter but some poor decision-making doomed any hopes of a winner.

    With Real pushing forward and Celta failing to take advantage of their chances, a goal from the home side was inevitable and it was Kroos who got to play the role of hero by spearing in a shot off a pass from Lucas Vázquez.

    The field open up drastically in the final minutes with Celta trying to manufacture a late equaliser, but the Real defence remained firm to seal the three points.

    Following the international break, Real will return to action on September 10 at home against Osasuna.


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