Páginas

9.27.2012

Real Madrid 8 - 0 Millonarios (Santiago Bernabeu Trophy)

Sixty years have passed since the latest visit of Millonarios to the Bernabeu Stadium and it may take another sixty before it returns. The interest of its comeback ran out in the name and in the memory of its first visit. Except the blue uniform, inspired by Tigre (Argentinian team) and the colors of the Conservative Party, nothing was as expected. We wanted to imagine that the scenario, the range of the honoree (Alfredo Di Stefano) and the presence of compatriots, would encourage the Colombian players to enjoy the trip and the match. But no. The match did not care them at all.

Real Madrid celebrates winning the Bernabeu Trophy 2012
Real Madrid: Bernabeu Trophy Champion 2012

So they received eight goals against and could have received fifteen. The feeling is that Millonarios felt outside the party. Not surprisingly, yesterday their B team played a league match of the Colombian competition that leads and not won for 24 years. So the players ran reluctantly. But the problem, however, is not just that. The Bernabeu Trophy has become a nuisance, isolated by the schedule of the official competitions. The only way to save it is to serve as a presentation to the new signings during the offseason, but then it will disturb the summer tours. Playing against top teams, lower ticket prices are the other possibilities that seem equally outlandish due to the Real Madrid policy. Forget it.

Just about football, with a completely different line-up from that Mourinho sent out two days earlier in Vallecas (only Özil and Khedira, who went on in the second half, participated in the win against Rayo), Real Madrid went out to defend their Trophy. They only needed the first quarter of an hour to prove it. In fifteen minutes they enjoyed five clear opportunities at goal and put themselves ahead on the scoreboard. The Whites completely bowled over their rival, who were defenceless in the face of the home team's onslaught. Kaka, who was particularly active, sent their first warning of what was to come before the first minute of play was up. The Brazilian stole the ball after Millonarios kicked off, he advanced with help from Higuaín but wasn't able to beat the goalkeeper in the one-on-one. Three minutes later he once again displayed his elegant and unstoppable stride, but his left-footed shot from inside the box went wide.

Before there were even five minutes on the clock along came the third warning, this time even closer to going in. A cross shot from Higuain got past Delgado but hit the crossbar. Morata and Callejon also joined in, enjoying attempts at goal. The former's interception of Torres in the 7th was worthy of more but his shot was met by Franco, and the latter's one-on-one after an excellent pass from Özil went to Delgado's gloves in the 12th. Such was the lead up to the match's opening goal. Higuaín overcame the player marking him with a step-over in the left wing, he entered the area, observed Kaka's arrival and sent him a left-footed pass so that the Brazilian could put their first goal on the scoreboard in the 14th.

One of this sport's maxims was fulfilled. Once the first goal was netted they just kept coming... four more before half-time. Callejon scored the second, making the most of an excellent assist from Higuain in the 23rd. The Argentinian, who was captain, had set up the first two goals of the match. A marvellous play two minutes later was worthy of a better finish. The author of the second goal, Özil, Higuain and Kaka all had a hand and Callejon shot from a volley. The visiting keeper's save was in keeping with the spectacular combination.

He wasn't able to repeat the performance with the other three goals that arrived before the end of the first half. Morata scored the third and fourth in the 32nd and 36th. For his first goal he kept a cool head, enduring the player marking him and defeating Delgado. He finished the brace with a shot across goal after a stepover from Kaka and the subsequent assist from the player chosen as Man of the Match. It was the Brazilian himself who scored the fifth in the 38th, cleverly using his back to get in before Lewis Ochoa, who tried to clear the ball from the goal line. The total came to five goals in a first half to remember.

Benzema, Modric, Fabinho and Carvalho substituted Morata, Nacho, Varane and Higuaín at half-time and the local team's fluidity of play didn't change a bit. The Whites continued to enjoy opportunities at goal and their dominance led to the sixth goal of the match, the third in Kaka's personal tally. Coentrao was knocked over by Delgado in the area and the Brazilian was responsible for taking the penalty shot in the 60th.

Eight minutes later Callejon scored his second, the seventh of the match. After a through ball from Benzema up the right wing and a cross from the French player to just outside the area, Álex cleverly saw the Real Madrid ‘21’ arrive and surprised the visitors' defence letting the ball continue past him. The academy player finished off the play, shooting into the net. It wasn't the last goal of the night. That was scored by Benzema with a shot across goal in the 79th to conclude the goal-fest and the best possible tribute to Alfredo Di Stefano.

Summary

Stadium: Santiago Bernabeu
Attendance: 30,000
Goals: 1-0, m.13: Kaka. 2-0, m.23: Callejon. 3-0, m.32: Morata. 4-0, m.36: Morata. 5-0, m.37: Kaka. 6-0, m.60: Kaka (pen). 7-0, m.68: Callejon. 8-0, m.79: Benzema.

No comments:

Post a Comment