CADIZ 1-1 REAL MADRID- PIRATES MISS OUT ON GRABING 3 POINTS AFTER NEGREDO PENALTY MISSED.
Cádiz came from a goal down to steal a point with a 1-1 draw, boosting their chances of top-flight survival against a weak Real Madrid outfit, who undoubtedly had one eye on the UEFA Champions League final in a fortnight’s time. The result sees ‘Los Blancos’ record a fifth consecutive away league game without a clean sheet.
Yet to score a home league goal in the opening 15 minutes this term, Cádiz threatened Real Madrid early on, but fell face-first into a deficit on the back of an extraordinary solo run by Rodrygo. The 21-year-old weaved through the home side’s defense and played the ball into the feet of the seldom present Mariano Díaz, who slid the ball behind a helpless Jeremías Ledesma to put the Spanish champions in the driving seat.
‘Los Piratas’ striker and former ‘Los Blancos’ youth product Álvaro Negredo then put Éder Militão in the spotlight with a fiery run, only to throw away the chance to level the scores. A couple of minutes was all it took Cádiz to change the momentum, as Andriy Lunin was first forced into a save from Oussama Idrissi before Rubén Sobrino struck a superb edge-of-the-box shot which went in off the crossbar 10 minutes before FT.
Negredo spiced things up right on the hour mark after winning a penalty, and then missing it with a weak shot that Lunin jumped at with utmost confidence to save Madrid’s skin. The Ukrainian shot-stopper denied the veteran Spanish striker once again just a few minutes later, pulling off a brilliant save with his legs and keeping scores level. A host of substitutions by Carlo Ancelotti around the final quarter-hour showed beyond doubt his side’s intention of playing out the final minutes just for the sake of it.
The hosts, in a desperate position to muster all they can, continued to push for a winner, knowing victory would take them into the 16th place and into a considerably better position for top-flight survival. Despite their efforts, neither team could better the other in the end. Although the result is inconsequential for the Spanish champions, the hosts will take inspiration for their final survival showdown against Deportivo Alavés.
