Madrid: Real Madrid needed a late strike from Marco Asensio to prevent a shock defeat but still saw their relentless winning streak ended by Valencia in a thrilling 2-2 draw at the Santiago Bernabeu here Sunday night.
Asensio had got the hosts off to the perfect start after just 10 minutes, but Carlos Soler rounded off an excellent Valencia team move to level shortly after.
Valencia stunned the Bernabeu when Geoffrey Kondogbia, who joined the club this week on a season-long loan from Inter Milan, swept home Rodrigo’s cross from the edge of the area.
However, like on so many occasions last season, Real Madrid had a late reply as Asensio curled home a free-kick seven minutes from time.
The draw ended Madrid’s eight-game winning run stretching back to May and also placed the European champions fall two points behind rivals Barcelona after just two games of the La Liga season.
“I can’t be happy with the result, but the performance was excellent and we deserved more today (Sunday),” said Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane. “That’s football, you can’t always win. We’ve lost two points, but I am very proud of my players.”
Real Madrid were without the suspended Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos and their presence at both ends of the field was felt in a wide open game filled with chances at both ends.
Another win for the hosts looked on the cards when Asensio pounced on a slack pass from Kondogbia to fire into the bottom corner just 10 minutes in.
Yet, Valencia showed they are made of sterner stuff this season in their reaction to going behind as a fine team move cut open the Madrid defence down Valencia’s left and Toni Lato’s cross was turned in by Soler.
In the second half Karim Benzema, Casemiro and Luka Modric had chances to put the hosts ahead. However, all muffed up easy chances. However, it was not that Valencia were doing all the defending. There were a number of occasions when their sudden counter-attacks had Real Madrid back-pedalling.
Valencia thought they had secured their first win at the Bernabeu since 2008 when Kondogbia swept home Rodrigo’s cross from the edge of the area 13 minutes from time. But Asensio rescued Madrid when his free-kick wrong-footed Neto under the Valencia bar.
And they should have snatched all three points when Benzema fired wide from point-blank range before being denied by Neto once more in added on time.
agencies