Real Madrid earned a valuable win at the Reale Arena with a 1-0 victory over Real Sociedad in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals. Young Brazilian striker Endrick scored the only goal of the match in the first half, in a duel where the home side generated more chances, but failed to beat a solid Andriy Lunin. With this result, Los Blancos will travel to the Santiago Bernabeu with a slight advantage, while Real will have to look for a comeback in a complicated scenario.
Endrick Goal And Madrid Control
The match started at a dynamic pace, with Real Sociedad trying to impose their intensity from the first minute. Take Kubo and Mikel Oyarzabal spearheaded the Basque side's first attempts, testing Lunin, who responded safely.
However, it was Real Madrid who struck first. In a counter-attacking move, Jude Bellingham detected Endrick's movement and sent him a precise long pass. The Brazilian, with great coolness, controlled the ball and defined with the outside of his left foot, beating Álex Remiro and establishing the 0-1 on the scoreboard.
After the goal, Madrid opted for a more conservative strategy, protecting their advantage with a well-structured defense. Real Sociedad kept trying, but their attacks lacked precision in the final meters.
Lunin Thwarts Basque Reaction Attempt
In the second half, Real Sociedad came out determined to tie the match. The high pressing by the home side made it difficult for Real Madrid to get forward, generating turnovers in the danger zone. Oyarzabal had a clear chance inside the box, but his shot was saved by Lunin with a great intervention.
Shortly after, Kubo tried his luck with a powerful shot that again demanded the Ukrainian goalkeeper. Real accumulated arrivals, but Madrid's defensive solidity and lack of precision prevented them from getting the equalizer.
The Merengue side had the opportunity to extend the lead in a quick play where Endrick smashed the ball against the crossbar. The Brazilian came close to his brace, but fortune was not on his side in that action.
Defensive Errors And A Conservative Madrid
As the minutes passed, Real Sociedad continued to press, taking advantage of some defensive inaccuracies by Madrid. A short pass from Antonio Rüdiger to Lunin almost cost Los Blancos dearly, but Tchouaméni reacted in time to prevent Oyarzabal's goal.
Faced with the growing intensity of the Basques, Carlo Ancelotti opted to reinforce the defense. The Italian coach withdrew Endrick and brought on David Alaba, prioritizing solidity at the back in the final minutes.
Real Sociedad, despite their insistence, failed to convert their chances. In the final moments of the match, Madrid even had chances to seal the tie with attempts by Bellingham and Tchouaméni, but the scoreboard remained unchanged.
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An Open Ending at El Bernabeu
The final whistle left a bittersweet taste for Real Sociedad, who did well to at least get a draw, but came up against an effective and well-organized Real Madrid defense. The txuri-urdin side will have to look for a comeback at the Santiago Bernabeu, a difficult challenge against a team that thrives in its stadium.
For their part, Madrid know that the tie is not yet over, but having won at a difficult ground gives them an important advantage. Ancelotti and his players will now focus on their next matches before defining their place in the final at home.
The second leg promises to be an intense match, where Real Sociedad will have to take risks in search of a goal, while Real Madrid will try to take advantage of the spaces to seal the series. The fight for a ticket to the final of the Copa del Rey is still open, and everything will be decided at the Bernabéu.
