Another match away from home, another victory. Real Madrid maintain their winning start to the LaLiga season as Ancelotti's men picked up their third win in a row after beating Espanyol at the RCD Stadium to take top spot in the league. It was not a simple game as Real Madrid only managed to climb above the draw two minutes before the regular time. Benzema showed once more why he's UEFA's player of the year, giving our team all three points thanks to two late goals.
Generally speaking, Real Madrid was the better team on the pitch, but Espanyol held their own and created good opportunities, putting Madridistas in difficulty throughout the game. Neither team managed to create chances in what was an evenly matched opening, until Vini Jr. broke the deadlock in the 12th minute. The Brazilian capitalised on a through ball from Tchouameni to score with a right-footed effort to make it 0-1. Lecomte had to be at his best shortly afterwards to keep out the Brazilian again after a great run down the left flank.
Madrid stepped up a gear and began to create a string of chances, with Vini Jr's curling effort sailing over the bar before Kroos's shot was blocked by the Catalonian defender. Real Madrid dominated most of the rest of the first half, but were sloppy towards the end of it. As the first half drew to a close, Espanyol finally threatened with Joselu eventually finding the equaliser thanks to his shot from inside the box which was initially saved by Courtois, but the ball deflected to the Blue and Whites' forward who made it 1-1.
The second half got underway with Espanyol applying the early pressure. In the 52nd minute, Puado went close with an effort that just went over the crossbar and seven minutes later Courtois pulled off a magnificent stop to deny Joselu from point-blank range. The game then opened up with both sides looking to take the lead. Ancelotti sent on Rodrygo and Camavinga and the coach almost got his reward. The French midfielder burst through the centre of the pitch to play in Benzema, but the striker’s curled shot was superbly fingertipped away by Lecomte.
The madridistas kept turning the screw and on 66’ Camavinga embarked on a run up the entire pitch taking a shot that was blocked, but the rebound had Kroos firing the ball goal-wards from the left and Benzema toepoking the ball into the net to put the visitors 2-1 ahead. But however, the goal was soon ruled out for offside. Ten minutes later Rodrygo leaves a backheel for his countryman Vinicius, but they're not on the same page and Vinicius runs by it. Then, it was Espanyol that almost had a glorious chance to go ahead, but it only saw Ruben Sanchez mishitting his attempt.
As the game enters the last ten minutes the pressure increases. With six minutes to got Vinicius sees himself getting clipped Oscar Gil and calls for a penalty, but the referee is not on the same mind. Madrid continued to attack the Espanyol goal and Benzema finally found a way through on 88’. Rodrygo whipped in a very fine cross for the Frenchman who smoothly drifted in at the back post and found the the net with a well-controlled volley.
The Madrid captain was not finished there though and in injury time, as the hosts were reduced to ten men after Lecomte was given his marching orders for bringing down Ceballos in a “last man foul”. Leandro Cabrera had to fill in in goals for the final moments and the defender couldn't do anything about Benzema's powerful freekick, which rounded off this 3-1 win, the fourth of the season for Los Blancos.
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