yassine : 0-1: Real Madrid kept trying to the end

Real Madrid stumbled at home against Atletico. A Diego Costa goal in the 11th minute decided an exciting derby in the Bernabeu. The Whites kept trying until the end and came close to equalising with an acrobatic Morata shot, but it was not to be.

Real Madrid returned to their stadium to face another team from Madrid. After beating Getafe in the Santiago Bernabeu, the Whites played against Atletico in the standout fixture of this round of matches. The derby did not start in the best way for the Whites. A pass from Koke in the 11th minute put Diego Costa through to beat Diego Lopez in the one-on-one. They would need to come from behind again. That was something that did not perturb Real Madrid, having already turned the scoreboard around in two of their previous three home matches this season. Benzema, with two headed shots from Di Maria passes, had chances to level the match in the 23rd and 26th minutes, but Courtois was on form for the first and the ball went a few inches wide from the second. Cristiano Ronaldo, also with a header following a pass from the Argentine, had the last chance of the first half, but the ball went over the bar.

After the break Ancelotti decided to bring on Bale, for his Bernabeu debut, and Modric for Illarramendi and Di Maria. The Whites pressured their opponents, who tried to stifle Real Madrid’s attempts to play out from the back and to run the clock down. The could have even scored a second from a counterattack in which Diego Costa found himself alone against Diego Lopez, but the goalkeeper came out on top. From that point on it was all Real Madrid and Bale, in the 65th minute, and Cristiano Ronaldo, five minutes later, came close to levelling the match with shots from the edge of the area. Atletico looked to decide the match on the counter and Koke hit the crossbar in the 80th minute. There were ten minutes left and Real Madrid didn’t stop trying.

The match was end-to-end and equaliser nearly came in the 84th minute. Khedira’s cross followed by a spectacular acrobatic shot from Morata forced Courtois to show his best. Five minutes later the home team had another opportunity. Modric's shot from distance was close to catching the visitors' goalkeeper out. It was not the last chance and Morata’s 90th minute effort went a few inches wide of the Atletico goal. The Whites tried until the end, but it was not to be.

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