Carlo Ancelotti’s facet trailed to an early aim by Largie Ramazani away in opposition to their promoted opponents, however Lucas Vazquez equalised simply after the hour mark.
Real Madrid defender David Alaba celebrates scoring this crew’s second aim throughout the Spanish league soccer match between UD Almeria and Real Madrid CF on the Municipal Stadium of the Mediterranean Games in Almeria on 14 August 2022. Picture: JORGE GUERRERO/AFP
MADRID – David Alaba scored with a surprising free-kick instantly after approaching as an alternative as reigning champions Real Madrid got here from behind to beat Almeria 2-1 of their opening recreation of the season in La Liga on Sunday.
Carlo Ancelotti’s facet trailed to an early aim by Largie Ramazani away in opposition to their promoted opponents, however Lucas Vazquez equalised simply after the hour mark.
The winner arrived with quarter-hour remaining at Almeria’s Power Horse Stadium, as Alaba strode onto the pitch and curled a free-kick in off the upright after Luka Modric had been fouled simply exterior the field.
Real have been made to work exhausting for the factors in opposition to an Almeria facet who gained final season’s second-tier title to return to La Liga after a seven-year absence.
“We had lots of shots on goal but once we got the first goal it made things much easier for us,” stated Ancelotti.
“I am happy with the way the game went. We were not spectacular but there were lots of things to take into account, like the game on Wednesday and the heat.”
At one level it seemed like Madrid would possibly endure a defeat of their opening league recreation of the season for the primary time since 2008, with Ancelotti’s resolution to rotate his squad not initially paying off.
The Italian had made 5 adjustments to the line-up that began in Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt within the UEFA Super Cup in Helsinki, when objectives by Alaba and Karim Benzema gave the defending European champions the primary silverware of the marketing campaign.
Alaba and Modric have been among the many gamers dropped to the bench, whereas close-season signings Antonio Rudiger and Aurelien Tchouameni have been handed first aggressive begins for his or her new membership.
RUDIGER CAUGHT OUT
Yet the sport was simply six minutes outdated when former Chelsea defender Rudiger was caught out by a ball excessive and Ramazani ran by means of to beat Thibaut Courtois.
Ramazani, the 21-year-old Belgian winger who used to be on the books at Manchester United, ran off to have fun in acrobatic style as Saudi-owned Almeria loved a dream start to their top-flight comeback.
Yet the hosts wanted some impressed goalkeeping from Fernando Martinez to hold them forward into half-time, with the standout save coming low to his left to deny Rudiger 5 minutes earlier than the break.
Vazquez then had the ball within the web within the forty third minute solely to be denied by a really tight offside name, however the full-back was the person who dragged the away facet again stage within the 61st minute as he pounced on a unfastened ball within the space to rating.
Almeria, who had already seen a dangling Vinicius cross strike the body of their aim on its manner behind earlier than that, quickly conceded once more.
When Modric was fouled simply exterior the field by Rodrigo Ely, Austrian defender Alaba was ready on the sideline for the prospect to come on.
The break in play allowed him to substitute Ferland Mendy, and he got here straight on to take the free-kick and rating in gorgeous style to full the newest comeback from Ancelotti’s crew.
Earlier, Japan star Takefusa Kubo marked his Real Sociedad debut by scoring the one aim in a 1-0 win at Cadiz.
Kubo, 21, moved to San Sebastian final month on a five-year deal from Real Madrid, after by no means managing to break into the primary crew on the Santiago Bernabeu.
Signed by Madrid from FC Tokyo as an 18-year-old in 2019, he was farmed out on mortgage to Mallorca, Villarreal after which Getafe, earlier than returning to Mallorca final season.
Carlos Soler’s penalty gave Valencia a 1-0 win over promoted Girona of their first La Liga outing below new coach Gennaro Gattuso.
Valencia held on after having Swiss defender Eray Comert ship off early within the second half.
Barcelona have been held to a 0-0 draw by Rayo Vallecano of their opening recreation on the Camp Nou on Saturday.
Atletico Madrid start their marketing campaign away at Getafe in considered one of three matches to be performed on Monday.