Real Madrid Edges Real Sociedad 1-0 in Copa del Rey Semi-Final
Real Madrid edges Real Sociedad in a tightly contested 1-0 victory in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals. Brazilian striker Endrick scored the decisive goal in the 19th minute, giving Madrid a crucial advantage ahead of the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu on April 1st.
Endrick’s Decisive Strike
The match began with Real Sociedad applying early pressure. Takefusa Kubo tested Madrid’s goalkeeper, Andriy Lunin, with a powerful shot in the 3rd minute, but the Ukrainian shot-stopper was up to the task.
Madrid’s breakthrough came in the 19th minute when Jude Bellingham delivered a precise pass to Endrick. The young Brazilian striker showed composure beyond his years, slotting the ball past Sociedad’s goalkeeper, Álex Remiro, to give Madrid the lead.
Sociedad’s Missed Opportunities
Real Sociedad had several chances to equalize, but Lunin was in inspired form. Mikel Oyarzabal came close in the 26th minute with a powerful shot, but Lunin made a crucial save.
Madrid also had opportunities to extend their lead. Vinicius Jr. wasted a chance in the 28th minute after a clever pass from Bellingham, with Remiro saving his low shot.
The first half ended on a sour note as the match was briefly halted due to racist chants from a section of Real Sociedad fans. Despite the disruption, Madrid held their 1-0 lead going into halftime.
Madrid’s Resilience in the Second Half
The second half saw Madrid continue to defend resolutely while looking dangerous on the counter. In the 51st minute, Vinicius sent a deep ball to Endrick, whose shot rattled the crossbar.
Sociedad pushed for an equalizer, with Lunin making another key save in the 64th minute to deny Aihen Muñoz. Madrid also had a penalty appeal waved away in the 58th minute when Lucas Vazquez’s cross struck Nayef Aguerd’s hand.
The most dangerous moment for Sociedad came when Jude Bellingham’s powerful shot from outside the box deflected off a defender, but Remiro made an excellent save to keep his team in the game.
With this victory, Real Madrid edges Real Sociedad closer to the Copa del Rey final. Endrick’s goal and Lunin’s heroics were the highlights of the night, putting Madrid in a strong position for the second leg. Sociedad will need to regroup and capitalize on their chances if they hope to turn the tie around.
