October 05, (THEWILL) – Real Madrid demonstrated their championship credentials with a commanding 2-0 victory against Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabéu, extending their unbeaten La Liga sequence to 29 matches.
The triumph arrived at a crucial moment, following their first UEFA Champions League setback of the season against LOSC Lille earlier in the week.
Federico Valverde opened the scoring after 14 minutes, his strike from outside the penalty area taking a fortunate deflection past Villarreal goalkeeper Diego Conde. The visitors responded immediately through Nicolas Pepe, whose header struck the crossbar, but Madrid maintained their advantage through to the interval.
The match-winning moment arrived midway through the second period when Vinicius Junior produced a remarkable finish from the edge of the area, his shot rebounding off the post before finding the net. The Brazilian forward’s performance reinforced his status among football’s elite performers, with his decisive contribution proving the difference between the teams.
The victory positions Real Madrid level on points with Barcelona at the La Liga summit, pending the Catalans’ fixture against Deportivo Alavés on Sunday. However, the evening concluded with significant concern for manager Carlo Ancelotti, as defender Dani Carvajal sustained what seemed a serious injury during stoppage time, departing the field visibly distressed.
Villarreal, despite matching their hosts for extended periods and displaying impressive tactical organisation, recorded their first away league defeat of the campaign. Their inability to convert possession into meaningful opportunities ultimately proved costly, with Real Madrid’s clinical finishing determining the outcome of an otherwise balanced encounter.
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.
