Jude Bellingham redeemed a missed penalty with a dramatic stoppage-time winner, securing a 2-1 victory for 10-man Real Madrid over Valencia on Friday, taking them to the top of La Liga.
The match saw winger Vinicius Junior sent off in a fiery contest.
Hugo Duro gave Valencia the lead in the first half after capitalizing on a rebound following a Thibaut Courtois save. Madrid struggled to break through Valencia’s defence, with efforts from Vinicius and others being thwarted.
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Vinicius, who had previously faced racist abuse from Valencia fans at the same stadium, was dismissed late in the game for shoving goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski. Madrid trailed at the time but rallied in dramatic fashion.
Bellingham assisted Luka Modric in the 85th minute to equalize, before pouncing on a defensive mistake in the 96th minute to score the winner. The victory moved Madrid two points clear of Atletico Madrid, though they have played one game more.
Valencia, under new manager Carlos Corberan, made a strong start, with Duro forcing an early save from Courtois. They eventually took the lead in the 27th minute, with Duro finishing after Javi Guerra’s initial shot was saved.
The match was rescheduled from October due to severe flooding in the Valencia region, adding a layer of context to the hard-fought battle at Mestalla Stadium.
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