Numancia 0-2 Real Madrid
Posted on 02. Feb, 2009 by Borris Becker in General
Another good performance by Real Madrid. Solid at the back and deadly in attack. Robben was again the star of the game, I mean, he has really upped his game a notch or two. People are now comparing to Lionel Messi, which I think is a bit unfair as Messi is a bit better than Robben, in every aspect of the game known as football.
Raul scored the first goal (a crappy one though) and Robben notched the second which killed off the game. Raul equalled the great Di Stefano’s record of 307 goals for Real Madrid and Real Madrid are now on a 6 match winning streak.
But, as with life, there are no happy endings (lolz). Barcelona who trailed for most of the match against Racing Santander, finally won their match 1-2, two goals from none other than Lionel Messi.
So as a result Barcelon are still 12 points ahead of us, with like 18 games or so to go. This is getting really tight now. I think we should concentrate on our Champions League campaign rather than the League Campaign as Raul said the other day. It is more feasible.
First Half
Numancia fired the first warning on 7′ when Boris found Barkero’s cross only to send it straight into Casillas’ hands. We responded three minutes later, but Juan Pablo had little trouble trapping Higuain’s shot from 27 yards out.
They continued putting pressure on Real Madrid. Their back line advanced to tighten the lines, giving the Whites little room to work with. Gago had a go from the top of the box on 18′ but struck the ball poorly and sent it wide of goal.You know, that shot reminded me that Gago is a defensive midfielder and should not be expected to contribute towards the goal count, also, he is not the greatest ball striker of all time.
Del Pino came closer to striking gold but could only watch in dismay as his shot hit Casillas’ far post (26′). Real Madrid took control in the closing minutes of the first half with Gago directing from the midfield and Pepe battening down the hatches on defense, and they could have gone into theb break with the advantage had Dimas not cleared Heinze’s shot off the line
Second Half
We improved on our intensity in the second half and now Real Madrid players looked like they wanted to win this match , and 180 seconds into the half Robben found a lane on the left side of the box and found Higuain.
His shot was deflected by Juan Pablo, but Raul was there to knock in the go-ahead goal and his 307th for Real Madrid. The captain is now level with Di Stefano as Real Madrid’s top scorer of all time.
Eight minutes later Robben dribbled through three defenders and hammered home a tight shot to put Real Madrid up by two.
Robben, no longer the glass man, ran to the bench to celebrate his fifth of the season with Codina. Kresic brought in Aranda and Quero hoping to find an answer, while Van der Vaart replaced Robben. Although the pace slowed, both sides had chances to put more goals on the board.
Huntelaar stepped in for Higuain on 77′ and Raul had a seat with ten minutes remaining. Numancia continued pestering Casillas but were unable to respond to a team that has now won six straight games.
I liked the perfomance of Gago, though he was sent off. The flops of the day for me were Raul and Higuain, both did not get into the game as much as they would have liked too. Raul, did score but that was all because of Robben’s hardwork before that. Higuain, also chased shadowns most of the time.
Anyway, good win and I hope Barcelona start loosing, otherwise, we are going to have to go through some major changes. Perez where are you!!!!!
Here are some interviews Interview though.
Higuain:
“We’ve put together a winning streak and it will show in our upcoming matches. We had two very different halves today. Numancia put on a lot of pressure in the first, but we took over in the second.”
“The team is playing well as a unit. It’s important to maintain a clean sheet, and we have conceded just one goal in our recent matches. For that I’d like to congratulate the defense.”
“What Raul has accomplished is incredible. I don’t know what records he has left to break.”
Robben:
“It was similar to the one I scored against Villarreal. Raul and I quickly put it in play and I looked for room to shoot, and the hole was there. I feel good and strong, and I always look to score or to pass to a teammate. The first goal was off a similar play, but I decided to pass, which was the best option. We’ve won six straight and want to continue playing well, but it’s not easy. We must fcous on ourselves and continue working hard.”
“Raul is a great player and captain. I only have kind words for him. It’s an honor to play on the same team.”
Gago:
“It’s the first time I have ever been sent off, but it’s a shame because I was booked on one of the first plays of the game. I don’t think it was fair, but it’s best to stay calm in those situations.”
“It’s great that the team has continued winning. I think we’re on the right track, but we need to continue working as a team and fighting.”
“We all want to play well, but results are all that matter. Today the team responded well to the complexity of the match.”
Pepe:
“We’re working well and on the right track. We’ve taken care of our business and now must wait to see if we cut into the lead. The coach warned us that it would be a hard match, and it was, especially in the first half. But things turned out well and we managed to get the win.”
“We haven’t conceded many goals in recent matches, but don’t think it’s only because of the defense. The team is working well on all levels and we’re very focused on not conceding any goals.”
“We congratulated Raul for his achievement. He’s a role model for everyone and we are very happy for him.”
Juande Ramos
“Raul scored and we were able to relax a little and play a little looser. Then we scored the second and felt much more confident.”
“I am happy with the team. We’re obtaining good results and we must continue to improve. What I liked most was their desire. They knew they had to make an effort and they did it. I’m much calmer when I see that ambition. The sending off was a bit confusing and we’ll see if we should appeal it or not.”
“We all know how Robben plays. He always looks to knock the defense off balance. He is content, motivated, and on a hot streak. Let’s hope it lasts a while.”
Raul
“His numbers speak for themselves. He’s a great as Di Stefano, and that means a lot. He is a player who is always in the right place to help, and today he scored the goal which proved to be the game winner.”
Faubert (a new signing, from West Ham united, he is a winger, more about him in his little Bio that i am currently writing)
“I believe we needed a right winger to balance out the squad. We like our chances in both competitions and believe that he can help us accomplish our goals.
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