La Liga: Super-sub Vinicius Junior leads Real Madrid comeback win over Espanyol

Barcelona: Joan Garcia showed why he is an up-and-coming goalkeeper — until Vinicius Junior got the Real Madrid scoring machine going. Vinicius went off the bench to help Rodrygo and score without a doubt one of his own and Kylian Mbappe added a late penalty as Madrid topped a tenacious Espanyol Four-1 within the Spanish league on Saturday.

García made a few saves for the visitors earlier than the Olympic gold medalist started an attack with a long pass from his box that ended with an own goal by counterpart Thibaut Courtois within the 54th minute. But García’s simplest slip of the match let Dani Carvajal equalize four minutes later when Jude Bellingham’s low pass squirmed below the goalie. The Madrid right back needed to simplest push it over the road for 1-1.

Vinicius rested within the primary 1/2 as Carlo Ancelotti rotated his attacking bunch. Alternatively the coach sent the Brazil forward on at once after Espanyol went in advance. Vinícius then took control, curling in an unbelievable cross with the outer tip of his left boot for Rodrygo to attain within the seventy fifth.

Vinicius beat García within the 78th for his goal after Espanyol lost the ball and Mbappe played his attack partner clear on the break. Mbappe converted a ninetieth-minute spot kick after Endrick went on late and earned a penalty from Carlos Romero.
“We made mistakes that per chance that you only may get away with in other games, but now now not here,” Espanyol coach Manolo González said.

Madrid pulled to one point at the back of leader Barcelona earlier than it plays at Villarreal on Sunday. Bellingham had a scare when he fell awkwardly on his right shoulder within the primary 1/2, but after briefly being seen by a health care provider on the sideline he went back on. Ancelotti said it did now now not seem comparable to the England midfielder became fine.

Unsurprisingly, Ancelotti said he became satisfied with the “well-rounded” performance. García in goalAfter helping Spain win Olympic gold this summer, García became rumored to have been almost a couple of move to Arsenal earlier than finally staying put at the club he helped return to Spain’s top flight last season.

And he showed his quality at the Santiago Bernabeu. Garcia made as a minimum eight saves earlier than he turned playmaker with a booming kick from his box that launched Jofre Carreras down the left flank. Jofre won the end line earlier than his low pass hit Courtois’ leg and became the online.

But once Madrid started clicking, even an inspired García couldn’t keep them out. Double deflectionTwo similar goals within three minutes of each and every other lifted Valencia to a 2-0 win over Girona at home. A pair of shots by Luis Rioja and Dani Gómez within the 56th and 58th both took deflections off Girona defender Juanpe Ramirez earlier than skirting past goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga.

Gazzaniga became to blame for Girona’s loss at Paris Saint-Germain midweek within the Catalan club’s Champions League debut. The goalie let a cross slip through his hands in stoppage time in a 1-0 loss in France.

Can’t get goingReal Sociedad’s surprising struggles continued after a scoreless draw at promoted Valladolid. The team from San Sebastian, which has consistently finished near the end of the table in recent years, has simplest one victory in seven rounds.
Sociedad visits Nice when the Europa League group stage opens next week. Also, Ante Budimir earned and converted a penalty and Aimar Oroz took the winner as Osasuna beat Las Palmas 2-1 at home. The team from the Canary Islands remained in last place and without a win.