One on one Real Madrid vs Pachuca: Rodrygo wins with a great goal

There was a title at stake in Doha, and the Madrid trident won it. All three scored: Mbappé, Rodrygo and Vinicius, thus sealing the team’s fifth title in 2024, the second of the season. Rodrygo’s story adds a special touch to this victory. The Brazilian had been going through a difficult time; Injuries left him out for a month, he returned to play a game and was injured again. A bad streak that kept him on the sidelines. However, in Doha, he won with a great goal. For Rodrygo, this goal had a special meaning, as he himself acknowledged at the end of the game: “Mentally, it’s tough because you want to be well and help the team, but you can’t because you’re injured.” Now, the 11 feels fully recovered, with renewed confidence and more desire than ever to contribute to the team’s success. And he showed it today, being key in a new title for Madrid.

First part: He had to get his hand on the Mexicans’ first long shot and it went for a corner. Surely the Belgian will come out and keep the ball. Rondón hit it… at Courtois’s hands. Two shots from Pachuca so far but no danger for the Belgian.

Break score: 6

Second part: Surely the Belgian jumped in and stopped the Mexicans’ set-piece shot. It seems easy, but it’s because the Belgian makes everything easy, he’s the best.

Final grade: 7

First part: Idrissi easily left Lucas and Courtois had to put his hand in to clear. Without many complications after the twenty minutes of the match, Madrid got into tune. The winger improved with the team as the minutes went by.

Break score: 5

Second part: Without complications in the second half, he joined Madrid’s attack, giving depth to the right wing and reaching the rival area, earning a penalty in favor of Madrid. He left the field of play in the 87th minute and Asencio came on in his place.

Final grade: 6.5

First part: He tried to finish with a foreshortened shot but did not hit the ball well. Without too much complication in defense.

Break score: 6

Second part: Rondón got his back on the Frenchman and shot just past Courtois’s crossbar with a great header. Without many more pressures in defense.

Final grade: 6

First part: Good first minutes of Rüdiger defending against Bautista against the multiple arrivals of Pachuca. Good long passes from the German to look for the attacking trident. He collided with Deossa and they had to leave the field so that the doctors could see them.

Break score: 7

Second part: Without complications during the second half, Madrid’s attack predominated unlike the first half. Safe German at all times.

Final grade: 7

First part: Some inaccuracy in the first half hour of the meeting. With the passing of the minutes and the improvement of Madrid, who came out asleep, he began to tune up and join the whites’ attack.

Break score: 6

Second part: He touched the ball on Fran because the ball went straight to the net with Deossaa’s shot. Joining Madrid’s attack and providing depth.

Final grade: 6

First part: Good attitude from the Frenchman, moving, recovering and asking for the ball. One of the few with attitude in the first twenty minutes. Some inaccuracy in the pass and a little accelerated at certain moments.

Break score: 6

Second part: He left the field in the 60th minute of the match with the score 2-0, the Frenchman is coming off an injury and Ancelotti prefers not to risk. Ceballos took his place.

Final grade: 6.5

First part: Good work by Fede in the center of the field, the Uruguayan did not stop running although he was not very good with the ball. Some unusual inaccuracy. The Uruguayan dared and hit it after Mbappé hit it.

Break score: 5

Second part: Better in the second half, less inaccuracy and more play in the center of the field to give movement to the ball.

Usefinal: 6

First part: Great intention from Jude looking for a pass into the hole while Vini unmarked himself but it didn’t go well for the Englishman. He lamented because she was very good. One of the best in the first half. He contributes a lot to the team in every match.

Break score: 7

Second part: He crouched down so as not to disturb the goalkeeper in Rodrygo’s (unstoppable) shot, but the VAR called the referee for possible offside by the Englishman. The referee considered that it did not interfere and it was a goal. Jude leaves in the 87th minute of the match after a great performance by the midfielder for another day. Arda Güler took his place.

Final grade: 8.5

First part: Good control of a long ball from Rüdiger, but the Brazilian couldn’t leave. The winger is quite active, coming down to support his teammates in defense and providing depth.

Break score: 7

Second part: Rodrygo failed to catch Vinicius’ cross pass from side to side. Great goal from the Brazilian that seemed a bit of a sucker, but it was incredible. He insisted on shooting, kept it, cut and cut until he found the gap and nailed it far from the goalkeeper’s reach. Rodrygo has scored four goals in his last five finals for Real Madrid in all competitions, after not scoring any in the previous six. He left the field of play in the 70th minute and Modric came on in his place.

Final grade: 9

First part: He wanted to go in the first play but the Mexicans put good pressure. Great pass from Vini to Rodrygo, a shame it didn’t reach Mbappé later. Vini was very active after half an hour of the meeting, looking to get unmarked and combine with his teammates near the area. He dribbled and gave Madrid’s first to Mbappé. Vini did it beautifully. Playful.

Break score: 7

Second part: Vini was about to score the third, but his shot went a little wide. Vini again. A one-two was scored twice that almost ended in a great goal. He converted the penalty called on Lucas Vázquez, although the goalkeeper touched the ball, he hit it so hard that it went into the back of the net. With this goal he adds 14 goals this season.

Final grade: 8.5

First part: First against Madrid with a beautiful movement by Kylian to leave his marker out and open towards Vinicius. Mbappé did well on a first dribble, but was unable to overcome the second or take the shot. Great pass from Vinicius to Rodrygo, who couldn’t give the ball to Mbappé in the run, so the Frenchman couldn’t finish in the area. As the minutes passed, Mbappé began to get into tune. After half an hour of play, he cut into the area, left his defender behind and tried to assist Vinicius, but the pass did not reach its destination. Kylian ended up scoring after a real gift from Vinicius, who dribbled masterfully and gave him the perfect ball to put in between the posts. The Frenchman did not hesitate and scored his thirteenth goal for Madrid.

Break score: 7

Second part: Mbappé tried to progress on the left wing, but they stopped him. He left the field in the 60th minute of the match with the score 2-0, the Frenchman is coming off an injury and Ancelotti prefers not to risk. Brahim entered in his place.

Final grade: 8

He entered the field of play in the 60th minute for Camavinga

Final grade: 5

He entered the field in the 60th minute for Mbappé. He tried with a shot that went high. Brahim played a great deep ball to Vini, who chipped it into the goalkeeper’s hands.

Final grade: 6

He entered the field in the 60th minute for Rodrygo. Modric’s greatness also reaches Qatar, the Croatian received a spectacular ovation when he entered the field. He tried to throw a shot into the area… if it comes out…

Final grade: 6

He entered the field in the 87th minute for Lucas Vázquez.

Final grade: 5

He entered the field in the 87th minute for Bellingham.

Final grade: 5

First part: The coach’s anger during the first minutes of the game due to the white team’s poor start to the field. Loss of balls, with little attitude and without stepping on the rival area. The coach came out to the edge of his technical area to gesture and ask his players for something more. Today you cannot blame Ancelotti, he has come out with everything, it is the team that does not respond. The team began to get into tune and the goal arrived.

Break score: 7

Second part: Calmer at the beginning of the second half. The team came out with a little more pace than at the beginning of the first half, although not enough to kill the game. The Italian did not take any risks and in the 60th minute he removed the two players (Camavinga and Mbappé) who were injured.

Final grade: 7