January 02, (THEWILL) – Real Madrid’s 11-game unbeaten streak in La Liga came to a quiet end at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez, as Enes Unal’s first-half strike earned a critical victory for Getafe in their relegation battle.
Los Azulones capitalised on a terrible defensive blunder by Eder Militao to score the game’s sole goal in the ninth minute, with Unal pouncing on the ball and scoring cleanly past Thibaut Courtois for his sixth goal in nine games.
Despite a sluggish start, Real Madrid surged into the game and finally found themselves dominating possession despite a lack of clear-cut chances.
In the 16th minute, one of such chances fell to Luka Modric, who slammed the crossbar with a stunning long-range shot from just beyond the box. Just moments before, the Croatian had a 25-yard shot saved by Getafe’s David Soria.
Casemiro came the closest to levelling the scores in the second half, but his stunning half-volley from the edge of the box was superbly saved and Getafe held on to earn all three points in an incredible result given Real’s recent brilliant form.
It is only their sixth victory over Los Blancos in La Liga history, and they are now three points clear of the relegation zone.
Despite having 74 percent possession and 14 shots on goal, Militao’s vital error proved costly. It was a thoughtful New Year’s present for Quique Sanchez Flores and Getafe.
It was not the first time there was an unforced error at the back during the game, as communication between Thibaut Courtois and his defenders seemed off at times, especially when the Belgian goalkeeper decided to rush off his line, almost costing Madrid two more goals.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side will undoubtedly need to improve in this area if they are to avoid losing any more points.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
