Vinicius Junior yet again starred for Real Madrid as the Brazilian wonder kid shimmied past two defenders and buried home a late strike to seal a 2-1 victory over Sevilla for Los Blancos on Sunday. With the win, Madrid have cemented their top spot after overcoming an in-form opponent.
Vinicius received the ball wide on the left flank and neatly controlled the ball with his chest before making a run past a couple of defenders. He fired a well-placed shot into the top corner from outside the area for an 87th-minute winner which delighted Madrid fans at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
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Lauding his teammate, Casemiro said, “That’s what the great players do, they capitalize on the chances they get and make a difference,” the Associated Press report.
Vini’s goal was his second in the past three games and his 11th overall in what has been his greatest season since joining Madrid. He’s already scored more goals this season than he did in the previous three seasons combined.
Rafa Mir’s header in the 12th minute put Sevilla ahead. They had gone undefeated in their previous six league games. After an error by Sevilla goalkeeper Bono in the 32nd minute, Benzema equalised from close range.
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Another red-hot player for Madrid, Karim Benzema, scored to give Madrid a four-point lead over reigning champion Atlético Madrid, who triumphed 4-1 at Cádiz. Meanwhile, Real Sociedad fell to third place after a 1-0 loss at Espanyol, while Sevilla remained fourth, five points behind the leaders.
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“He is extraordinary. He has something special on his feet,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said about Vinicius. “This is another step for him to become one of the best players in the world.”
Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made a crucial save in stoppage time to secure the win for the hosts and build on Sevilla’s losing streak against Madrid on the road since 2008.
With inputs from the Associated Press