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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