Real Madrid 1 Atletico Madrid 2
Ronaldo 13, Diego Costa 34, Miranda 98
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The first and third goals were good headers.
But the most memorable strike came from Radamel Falcao- and he didn\’t even score it.
Diego Simeone, with his aura of strength and rugged actor\’s face, proved to be a formidable opponent for Jose Mourinho, who had never gone through a season without winning a trophy.
This Copa Del Rey Final started with a lot of fizz, spark and competitive tension, which made it very fast and rather untidy. But compelling : I love a game that promises a mixture of artistry and physicality, a few thrilling moments of grace under pressure
Early on, Ozil\’s corner found a perfect arc and Ronaldo, racing across the box while tangling with a defender, was able to stop, produce a superb standing jump, and head the ball unstoppably into the
corner of the net.
Nobody does it better. In truth, nobody does it as well.
That majestic header came in 14 minutes.
The equaliser in 35 was even better. Unusually, Radamel Falcao is a warrior as well as a predator, a chunky footballer who gets involved in all parts of the pitch, and now the combative Colombian used his zigzag dribbling skills on the halfway line to destroy Albiol and Khedira before releasing Brazilian striker Diego Costa for a left-foot shot that went in off the post.
Any playmaker, any of the legendary No.10s, would have been proud of such a killer pass, and the skills which made it possible.
Falcao\’s urgency, his inventiveness and boldness, are extraordinary.
He created his team\’s first chance of the game and when Diego Costa scored I was thinking: I don\’t fancy Real Madrid now.
When the ball broke off a defender to Ozil, he fired a bouncing shot that hit the inside of the post and flew beyond the opposite post before it was cleared in 43.
It was 1-1 at half-time.
Summary: Ronaldo\’s was a fine goal.
But Diego Costa\’s was an electrifying goal because of the way Falcao made it.
Second half, Benzema hit the post and the ball rebounded to Ozil and his shot was cleared off the line by Juanfran. In 61, a cute Ronaldo free-kick flew under the boots of the jumping wall and between the legs of Essien and hit the post again.
Maybe King Juan Carlos was thinking : Is this gonna be our night?
As Real were doing everything except score, Simeone was going bonkers on the touchline .
It was still 1-1 after 70 and in 76 the ref sent Jose Mourinho off for disagreeing with a very dubious decision he\’d made.
In 98, Koke took a corner, the ball was cleared back to him, and the defender hit a wicked cross to the near post for Miranda to head past Diego Lopez.
Real 1 Atletico 2
In 104 Higuain hit a very good volley but keeper Courtois saved his foot. Then, when Ozil met a Di Maria cross, the lanky Belgian made a blinding save with the ball flying over the bar off his arm.
The temperature was raised even higher and Gabi crashed cruelly into the back of Ronaldo, whose legs both went up in the air. His left boot flicked out, just missing his assailant\’s nose, or maybe touching it. Gabi dived backwards holding his face and Ronaldo was given a straight red.
With seconds remaining, Gabi was also dismissed
The ill-tempered scenes during and after extra-time were reprehensible but perhaps inevitable in such a highly-charged derby.
Don\’t forget that Atletico have spent two-thirds of this season above Real in the La Liga table.
These clubs have now played each other five times in the Copa del Rey Final, four times at the Bernebeu, once at the Vicente Calderon.
Remarkably, Atletico have won all four finals at Real\’s stadium, while Real won the other final on penalties.
Ironically, Falcao grew up in Colombia as a Real Madrid fan.
As you probably know, Ronaldo grew up in Madeira as a Real Madrid fan.
We hear a helluva lot about Ronaldo because he has played for Manchester United and Real Madrid but we don\’t hear much about the other guy.
Proving, perhaps, that you\’re only as big as your stage.
Make no mistake, Radamel Falcao is an electric samurai who makes Batistuta look like Joe Jordan.