Match Report: Real Madrid Vs Real Sociedad.

Real Madrid won their second consecutive League match on Sunday, and it was also their first victory of the 2006/07 season at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. The Whites took care of business against an organised Real Sociedad thanks to thirty minutes of great football in the second half, including a great free kick goal by Reyes and another by Beckham in injury time. The Seville native was by far the Man-of-the-Match. The Madridistas are now fourth in the table and have allowed only one goal.

Real Madrid made their return to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium with two changes to the starting eleven. Coach Fabio Capello had warned before the match that he was thinking of making some modifications, and he followed through on his word by playing Reyes and Guti instead of Beckham and Cassano, respectively. And it was precisely the Sevillian, the last Madridista to be signed over summer, who began the game in high gear with various dangerous attacks along the right wing and by taking every free kick and corner kick. Ramos came close to beating goalkeeper Riesgo with a header in the opening minute of the match, and Raúl also had a chance seven minutes later.

But Real Sociedad had come to play their game from the initial blow of the whistle. While playing in the same 4-2-3-1 formation as Real Madrid, Jose Mari Bakero’s men looked to slow down the clash by fouling often and trying to take advantage of free kicks. Such was the case 19 minutes in, when Gari had a try on Iker Casillas, who cleared the football with his fists. Casillas was also tested by a De Cerio header in the 26th minute. Real Madrid maintained ball possession and had every intention of sealing the win as soon as possible, but they were unable to move the ball upfield quick enough and had few obvious scoring opportunities. The Whites could not find a clear path to the rival’s net despite the cross-pitch passes by Reyes and Guti, and Guti’s efforts to feed the ball to the attack. There was no urgency in defence, but they weren’t able to frustrate the rival defence either.


MATCH SUMMARY:
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2 – REAL MADRID: Casillas; Cicinho, Cannavaro, Sergio Ramos, Roberto Carlos (Raúl Bravo 45’); Reyes (Beckham 74’), Diarra, Emerson (Robinho 59’), Raúl; Reyes and Van Nistelrooy .
0 – REAL SOCIEDAD Riesgo; Gerardo (Garitazo 50’), Rivas, Juanito, Labaka; Aramburu, Aitor, Gari (Felicio 71`), Garrido: De Cerio (Kovacevic 49’) and Prieto.

GOALS:
1-0, min. 68: Reyes free kick.
2-0, min. 92: Beckham one-on-one with Riesgo.

REFEREE: Muñiz Fernández (Asturian school). Yellow cards to Gerardo, De Cerio, and Beckham. Direct red to Aramburu.

Matchday 3 of the Spanish League played at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.