LA Galaxy 1 - 5 Real Madrid (Friendly)

Real Madrid did what they came to do in this game. They won decisively and did so whilst putting on a spectacle for the more than 30,000 spectators who were at the Home Depot Center. Mourinho’s players were far superior but did not let themselves go and showed off their footballing repertoire with good passing, touches and shots that left everyone happy. Real Madrid's tour in the US could not have started better. Winning whilst exciting the crowd. Galaxy’s stadium a small Bernabeu filled with white shirts and flags.

Higuain scored the first goal of the match

Real Madrid started in Los Angeles with the first of four friendlies that Mourinho's team will play in the US. The coach opted for a 4-2-3-1, with Higuaín as centre forward. In the defensive-midfield roles Alonso and Lass and in the line of three in front of them Kaká, Callejón and Di María. The Whites made it clear from the opening whistle they wanted the win and also to do with goals and entertaining the people who had come to see them in the nearly full Home Depot Center. In the 2nd minute a Di María through ball was collected by Higuaín in the area before he calmly beat Saunders. 1-0. A minute later Di María could have scored but his shot was off target. Mou’s players imposed themselves with authority opposed upon some Galaxy players that offered little resistance. In the 11th made the score 2-0. Di María pushed himself for every minute that he played, controlling the ball up front and comfortably hitting a strong shot at goal.

It seemed that the Whites had already won the match in less than a quarter of an hour and could begin to have fun and enjoy playing. But it didn’t quite happen like that. With nothing to lose the North Americans launched an attack and could have cut the deficit in half through Robbie Keane in the 19th minute but his shot well blocked by Albiol. In the 22nd minute the score became 2-1. Beckham crossed in a good free kick to the far post which was touched by González and Lopes before crossing the goal line. Galaxy began to make the match exciting again. They began to believe and pushed forward for an equalizer, but that is a dangerous thing to do against Real Madrid. In the 35th a counter attack led by Higuaín and Kaká ended with the ball at the feet of Callejón who shot across Saunders. 3-1 and the Whites widened the gap on the scoreboard. It was the youth academy player’s third goal of the pre-season.

In the 38th minute Casillas got a touch that prevented the American’s second goal. The match was back and forth and the chances kept coming. In the 40th minute Mourinho made his first change and youth academy player Alex came on for his brother Nacho. In the 43rd minute Higuaín could have made it 4-1 but the goalkeeper and a defender managed to clear the ball between them. That is how the first half finished.

Real Madrid started the second half completely different team. Eleven new players took the field. It was the turn of Adan, Pepe, Ramos, Arbeloa, Morata, Sahin, Khedira, Ronaldo, Özil, Granero and Benzema. Despite the carousel of changes in the game neither team had trouble getting into the match. In the 48th Granero played a great through ball to Morata, who controlled it in the area and cleverly put the ball into the Galaxy goal. 4-1 and the crowd were still enjoying the show put on by Real Madrid’s. The Whites were in absolute control of the game against a Galaxy showing more signs of the changes made than Mourinho’s team.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who instilled delirium of the stands with everything he did, tried a shot from distance in the 63rd minute but it went wide. The whites brought out the best of their repertoire with back-heels, passes and touches that thrilled an audience that filled the Home Depot Center and broke the attendance record with 30.317 spectators. The goalkeeper Perk turned out to be the best player for the Galaxy saving his team three times after Morata, Benzema y Özil each had very clear chances. The minutes passed and in the 80th minute Mourinho made his last two changes. Jesé and Jesús cameo n for Morata and Adán. And the forward, with his first touch of the ball put the ball in the goal following a sensational piece of play by Özil and Benzema in the 83rd minute of the game. The crowd were cheering for a goal from Cristiano to round things off and Portuguese tried to finish, but bad luck and goalkeeper didn’t let it happen. The end of the game came with the aim accomplished: to win and put on a show so that everyone went home happy.

Summary

Stadium: Home Depot Center
Attendance: 30,281
Goals: 0-1 (2'): Higuain. 0-2 (11'): Di Maria. 1-2 (22'): David Junior. 1-3 (35'): Callejon. 1-4 (48'): Morata. 1-5 (83'): Jese.

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