The World
Cup’s Golden Boot James Rodriguez scored his first goal for Real Madrid
but it was not enough to give Carlo Ancelotti’s team the advantage in
the Spanish Super Cup as Raul Garcia equalised from a corner with three
minutes left.
It
was more a game of two days than two halves with the 11pm local time
kick-off meaning the match started on Tuesday and finished on Wednesday
and it was on 'day two' that the goals came.
Madrid
could have won it with their last attack when Mario Suarez blocked Dani
Carvajal’s goal-bound shot with his hand but Atletico held on for the
draw.
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Bittersweet: Rodriguez celebrates with his new Real Madrid team-mates after scoring what he thought was the winner
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It's mine! Raul Garcia (left) reacts after scoring a scrappy goal to level up the two-legged affair at the Bernabeu
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Super sub: James Rodriguez moved from
Monaco to Real Madrid in the summer for £60million, and scores his first
goal for the club with nine minutes remaining
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Worry: Cristiano Ronaldo holds his back while grimacing before being substituted for Rodriguez at half-time in the Bernabeu
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Brought down: Real Madrid's defender
Daniel Carvajal (left) commits a foul as he fights for the ball with
Koke of Atletico Madrid
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Tracking down: Luka Modric looks to move forward with the ball at his feet for Real Madrid as Koke chases him from behind
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Tussle: Real Madrid striker Karim
Benzema battles for the ball with Atletico players Gabi (left) and Joao
Miranda at the Bernabeu
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Careful: Gareth Bale slides past the
tackle as he attempts to escape the attention of Atletico Madrid's
Juanfran during the first-half
Match stats
Real Madrid: Casillas, Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo, Modric, Kroos, Alonso, Bale, Ronaldo (Rodriguez 45), Benzema.
Subs: Keylor, Isco, Di Maria, Varane, Arbeloa, Coentrao.
Yellow card: Alonso, Ramos.
Goal: Rodriguez 81
Atletico Madrid: Moya, Juanfran, Miranda, Godin, Siqueira, Mario, Gabi, Koke, Saul (Griezmann 56), Raul Garcia, Mandzukic.
Subs: Oblak, Gimenez, Ansaldi, Tiago, Cebolla RodrÃguez, Raul Jimenez.
Yellow cards: Koke, Siqueira, Mario.
Goal: Garcia 88
The
game, played so late because of Madrid’s suffocating August heat, was a
scrappy affair with Atletico Madrid frustrating their big spending
neighbours.
The
match was only four minutes old when Koke went into the book as he went
in late on Pepe and the Real Madrid defender exaggerated sufficiently
to draw the card from the referee.
If
the first caution was harsh the second on the quarter hour was
completely justified as Siquiera went high over the top of the ball on
Bale leaving him needing treatment on the sidelines.
Bale
it was who had had Real Madrid’s first chance running on to Benzema’s
pass but shooting wide of Miguel Angel Moya’s right-hand upright.
Against a full-back on a booking this early the night was shaping up
nicely for the Welshman. He swept past Felipe Luis’ replacement with
another superb first touch as most of Real’s attacks flowed down the
right hand-side.
As
badly as Siquiera was doing defensively he was able to threaten on the
break and when he skipped past Dani Carvajal he won a corner off of
Sergio Ramos but Madrid are always dangerous on the break from defending
corners and only a Juanfran challenged prevented Bale racing away to
score.
Modric
then won two corners in quick succession but saw both cleared by the
stubborn Atletico Madrid defence. Xabi Alonso then became the first Real
Madrid name to be taken for going through the back of Koke and cards
continued to outnumber goal-scoring opportunities.
One
such chance came just before the break when Ronaldo and Bale swapped
wings and the former headed the latter’s cross well wide. Real coach
Ancelotti got the biggest cheer of the night with a perfect piece of
control from another stray pass that had dropped into his technical area
but it was cagey stuff from the visitors and there was no way
Read more:
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