MADRID (AP) — In a thrilling encounter at the Mestalla, Jude Bellingham ensured a dramatic turnaround for a 10-man Real Madrid, scoring a last-minute decisive goal after a missed penalty, leading his team to a 2-1 victory against Valencia and thus regaining the lead of La Liga on Friday evening.
It was a night full of twists and turns, where Luka Modrić’s 85th-minute equalizer and Bellingham’s injury-time heroics saw Real Madrid avoid the embarrassment of suffering back-to-back league defeats for the first time since 2019.
With this crucial victory, Real Madrid now have 43 points, two clear of city rivals Atletico, despite having a game in hand.
This meeting pitted Valencia, penultimate, against the Madrid giants. Surprisingly, it was the home side who opened the scoring in the 27th minute when Hugo Duro took advantage of a rebound off the post to score into an empty net.
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The second half saw Real Madrid come back with renewed vigor, but it seemed like luck was against them. Kylian Mbappé won a penalty just ten minutes after the break, but what should have been a golden opportunity evaporated when Bellingham’s attempt hit the post. Moments later, a Mbappé goal was ruled out after a VAR review, deepening the sense of frustration.
Things got worse when, with just 11 minutes left, Vinicius Jr. was sent off after a controversial incident with Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski, leading to a lengthy VAR check resulting in a straight red card for the Brazilian.
However, Real Madrid’s resilient spirit showed as Carlo Ancelotti’s substitutions reignited the team’s energy. Modrić, who had just come on as a substitute in the 80th minute, danced through the Valencia defense to score the equalizer.
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With momentum on their side, it seemed only a matter of time before Real clinched a winner. In the middle of injury time, Bellingham, who had previously had a difficult evening, took advantage of a slip from Valencia’s Hugo Guillamón to finish calmly against the goalkeeper.
The excitement didn’t stop there. Valencia’s Luis Roja almost brought a dramatic conclusion to the match but saw his long-range shot ricochet off the post, leaving both teams reeling after a scare-filled match.
With this result, Valencia remains mired in the relegation zone, struggling in penultimate place.
Pontevedra achieves new feat in Copa del Rey
In previous matches, fourth division side Pontevedra delivered a stunning performance, beating La Liga side Mallorca 3-0 to secure a place in the Copa del Rey round of 16. Dalisson de Almeida scored from almost 40 yards to put his side in the lead, while Yelko Pino added a sensational volley shortly after the break. Rufo capped the perfect evening with a goal 18 minutes from time after a catastrophic defensive error.
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This remarkable victory comes after Pontevedra’s previous feat against Villarreal in the last round.
Other matches saw first division sides Rayo Vallecano and Getafe advance, with Getafe needing extra time to win against second division side Granada. Meanwhile, Rayo Vallecano easily disposed of Racing Ferrol, with a convincing 3-1 victory.
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