la league
Joker Alaba saves Real victory with first contact with the ball
Real Madrid’s David Alaba (2nd from left) celebrates after his team’s second goal. photo
© Jose Breton/AP/dpa
With his first touch of the ball, substitute David Alaba saved Real Madrid a difficult opening win in Spain’s soccer league. In the 75th minute, the Austrian converted a free kick to make it 2: 1 (0: 1) at UD Almeria directly after coming on as a joker just a few seconds earlier. The Champions League winner had previously struggled with the promoted team for a long time.
With his first touch of the ball, substitute David Alaba saved Real Madrid a difficult opening win in Spain’s soccer league. In the 75th minute, the Austrian converted a free kick to make it 2: 1 (0: 1) at UD Almeria directly after coming on as a joker just a few seconds earlier. The Champions League winner had previously struggled with the promoted team for a long time.
Four days after the Supercup victory against Eintracht Frankfurt, the royal team fell behind in the sixth minute through Largie Ramazani. After that, the guests of coach Carlo Ancelotti were clearly superior, but rarely found a way through against the brave home side. Lucas Vazquez used the chaos in Almeria’s penalty area to score a well-deserved equalizer after the hour.
Then Alaba’s hour struck. The former FC Bayern Munich professional came on for Ferland Mendy, put the ball in place for a free kick 20 meters from goal – and scored with the help of the right goalpost.