Madrid crowned classico kings
Gareth Bale scored the most important goal of his career to win the
Copa del Rey for Real Madrid, netting the decisive goal against fierce
rivals Barcelona in the final at the Mestalla.
The most
expensive player in the world raced from the halfway line down the left
wing before poking the ball past Jose Manuel Pinto to restore Madrid's
lead with five minutes remaining, after Marc Bartra had cancelled out
Angel Di Maria's first-half opener.
The Welshman had
produced his best performance in his third game against Barcelona but
had failed to find the net, but his guile paid off as his stunning late
strike gave Madrid their 19th Copa del Rey, and the first trophy under
coach Carlo Ancelotti.
Bartra passed a late fitness test,
allowing Barca coach Gerardo Martino to field the same team that had
lost 1-0 to Atletico Madrid exactly a week earlier.
Ancelotti
was forced to re-jig his team due to the continued absence of Cristiano
Ronaldo, opting for Isco to complement Bale and Karim Benzema.
Isco
was carded after three minutes for cutting down Neymar but responded
with a quick through-ball which allowed Bale to attack down the left,
the Welshman shooting across the face of goal and just wide of the far
post.
Bale was in the thick of the action and had another
attempt a minute later, shooting on the turn, but was denied by a
deflection by Javier Mascherano.
Just a couple of minutes
later Madrid took the lead through a precise counter. Isco held the ball
up in midfield before squaring to Bale, who found Benzema on the left
wing. The Frenchman played Di Maria in with one touch and the
Argentinian surged into the box to shoot into the bottom corner, Pinto
unable to prevent the shot creeping in at the post.
Barca
could not mount much of a response before the break. Alves got on the
end of a cross from Jordi Alba but headed straight at Casillas, while
both of Xavi's attempts failed to hit the target.
A fine
block by Mascherano prevented Isco from making it 2-0, the former
Liverpool man sliding across to prevent the forward from making the most
of Bale's cut-back.
Sergio Busquets also made a decisive
intervention, cutting out a ball from Benzema heading towards Bale, who
was waiting to pounce.
Bale almost provided a sensational
start to the second half, bursting his way past two Barca defenders only
to shoot the wrong side of the near post.
The Welshman
then tried his luck from outside the area, striking the ball with the
outside of his foot and just onto the top of the net.
Barca
were impotent for much of the second half, unable to breach Madrid's
defence, which was aided by vital interventions by forwards Di Maria and
Isco. Bartra's solution was to have a go from range, but his shot was
batted away by Iker Casillas.
Instead it was Madrid who
caused the danger. Sergio Ramos' header was saved by Pinto then as
Benzema tried to curl one in, his shot deflected wide.
Ramos thought he had been manhandled in the box, then Xabi Alonso shot over the bar.
Benzema
then nearly caught Pinto out at the near post, and Bale headed home
from the resulting corner, but the goal was ruled out for offside with
the keeper out of position.
Barca then won a corner from
which Bartra rose to power a header into the top left-hand corner and
beyond Casillas, who conceded for the first time in nine Copa del Rey
matches this season.
Bale tried to reply with a run down the left and a shot that Pinto quickly repelled, then Luka Modric saw his shot go just over.
Barca were rejuvenated by the goal and attacked with intent, although were unable to test Casillas.
If
anyone looked more likely to score it was the Catalans but with five
minutes to go, Bale won the match with his rampaging run, racing past
Bartra before calmly beating Pinto.
The game almost took
another twist in stoppage time, Neymar smashing the post but the ball
landing safely in the hands of Casillas before any Barca players could
pounce.
But that was the Catalans' last attempt, and
Madrid, beaten by city rivals Atletico in last year's final at the
Bernabeu, were able to enjoy a happier outcome this time around.
source: http://espnfc.com/uk/en/report/391361/report.html?soccernet=true&cc=4716
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