Real Madrid wins dramatic opener against Espanyol
Translated from Icelandic, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Real Madrid secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Espanyol in their opening La Liga match.
- Jude Bellingham scored early, but Espanyol equalized before Carlos Espi netted the late winner.
- This marked Josรฉ Mourinho's first league match in charge of Real Madrid since his previous tenure.
Real Madrid began their La Liga campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 win against Espanyol, thanks to a last-gasp goal from Carlos Espi. The victory, secured in the first minute of stoppage time, gave the team a dramatic start to the season.
Jude Bellingham came over Real Madrid's lead after only nine minutes when he headed the ball into the net after a pass from Arda Guler.
Jude Bellingham opened the scoring for Real Madrid in the ninth minute with a header from an Arda Guler assist. However, Espanyol quickly responded, with Alex Calatrava finding the net to level the score. Espanyol appeared to be the more dangerous side following the equalizer, putting pressure on Real Madrid's defense.
Espanyol, however, did not take long to equalize, and Alex Calatrava did so, after which Espanyol was the more dangerous team.
The second half saw Real Madrid dominate possession and launch numerous attacks on Espanyol's goal. Despite their sustained pressure, the ball refused to find the net until the dying moments of the game. The 21-year-old Espi ultimately sealed the win, ensuring Real Madrid started the season with three points.
It changed, however, in the second half, where Real attacked Espanyol's goal heavily, but the ball would not go in.
The match also marked the return of Josรฉ Mourinho to the dugout for Real Madrid in a league fixture. Mourinho, who previously managed the club from 2010 to 2013, took the reins again this summer. Espanyol, meanwhile, had already played one match, defeating Levante 3-0.
Real attacked and attacked, and in the first minute of stoppage time, the winning goal finally came when the 21-year-old Carlos Espi put the ball into the net from close range and secured Real Madrid the victory in the first match of the season.
Originally published by Morgunblaรฐiรฐ in Icelandic. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.