Real Madrid came from behind to narrow the gap on LaLiga leaders Barcelona to six points, as Vinicius Junior, Eder Militao, and Marco Asensio scored in a 3-1 victory over Espanyol at Santiago Bernabeu.
The game was a must-win for Madrid, who had gone three matches without a win, and were in danger of losing further ground in the title race when Joselu’s early goal gave Espanyol the lead.
However, Vinicius Junior leveled things up with a superb solo effort, before Militao headed home at the back post to give Madrid the lead before halftime.
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Asensio added a third goal late on, ensuring Madrid remains six points behind Barcelona before the latter’s trip to Athletic Bilbao on Sunday. The two rivals are set to face each other in a highly anticipated Clasico clash next week.
Espanyol shocked the Bernabeu by scoring with their first real attack, with Joselu guiding a side-footed finish into the top-right corner. Madrid almost fell behind further when Vinicius Souza’s header forced Thibaut Courtois into a save, but Vinicius Junior equalized after 22 minutes with a superb goal.
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With Espanyol struggling to cope with Madrid’s pressure, Militao scored the crucial second goal six minutes before halftime, heading in Aurelien Tchouameni’s cross.
Despite Madrid’s dominance in the second half, Espanyol almost scored a second when Leandro Cabrera missed a good opportunity.
In the end, substitute Asensio sealed the win with a calm one-on-one finish in stoppage time, capping off an impressive comeback victory for Madrid.
