Real Madrid reach Copa del Rey final after ET thriller against Sociedad
With a thrilling 4-4 draw in extra time against Real Sociedad, Real Madrid advanced to the Copa del Rey final, winning 5-4 overall. Antonio Rudiger decided Tuesday’s pulsating tie with a header in the 115th minute, with Madrid to face Barcelona or Atletico Madrid in the final.
Ander Barrenetxea gave Real Sociedad a 1-0 lead in the first leg, but Endrick’s fine chip brought the 20-time champions level. A David Alaba own goal and Mikel Oyarzabal’s deflected effort helped La Real open up a lead on the Spanish champions but Madrid battled back with goals from Jude Bellingham and Aurelien Tchouameni.
Oyarzabal scored twice in overtime to send the game into extra time, but his team couldn’t hold off Madrid until penalties, where Rudiger’s header won the game. Ancelotti brought Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes back into his starting lineup, leaving Kylian Mbappe on the bench to rest, with Endrick taking his place in an all-Brazilian attack.
The 18-year-old wonderkid striker, who scored the game’s only goal in the first leg, was active in the first half and sent a risky overhead kick just wide of Alex Remiro’s far post. The hosts were threatened by Bellingham as well, but Real Sociedad won the game. For Pablo Marin’s flick-on, Barrenetxea broke in behind Lucas Vazquez and drilled a low finish home to level the match for the Basques. Soon, Real Madrid scored an equalizer.
Endrick was directed into the goal by Vinicius, who played a stunning through ball down the left flank with the outside of his foot. The youngster, who led the Copa del Rey in goals scored, scored his fifth goal in the competition with a stunning lobbed finish that beat Romero. Real Sociedad appealed for a penalty before the break when Takefusa Kubo went down in the box after being held by Vinicius, but the referee did not concur.
In an effort to win the game and end the tie, Ancelotti substituted Mbappe for Endrick. However, the visitors were providing the best opportunities. Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin made a superb save to deny Martin Zubimendi, and Oyarzabal wastefully fired the rebound wide.
Real Sociedad moved ahead on the night when Alaba deflected Marin’s cross through Lunin’s legs and into his own net after 72 minutes.
Real Sociedad scored their third goal when the Austrian defender, who had been out since January due to a long-term injury, deflected Oyarzabal’s shot past Lunin. Vinicius brilliantly turned his opponent and drove forward, crossing for Bellingham to score in the 82nd minute. This sparked Madrid into action. Los Blancos came back to tie the game four minutes later when Tchouameni’s header was badly mishandled by Remiro and landed in his own net.
Oyarzabal converted a Sergio Gomez free kick in the 93rd minute to send Real Sociedad into extra time just as it appeared that they were out. Before the regulation 90 minutes were up, Remiro made a good save from Bellingham. As the game started over, the pace got slower. Jon Olagasti of Real Sociedad was ticketed for slamming Vinicius to the ground as he threatened to flee on the left, and the visitors were working hard to stop the European champions.
With just five minutes remaining, Madrid advanced to the final thanks to Rudiger’s excellent header past the helpless Remiro from Arda Guler’s corner. On Wednesday Atletico Madrid host Barcelona in the second leg of the other semifinal, with the teams level at 4-4 on aggregate.