A delicious derby

Real Madrid’s visit south of the capital on Saturday to play their cross-town rivals Atlético was anything but neighbourly. Though as always it had all the markings of a Madrid derby and did not disappoint. It finished 3-2 to Madrid, but not before they had been subjected to a very tense closing ten minutes by the Rojiblancos.

0-1: Last year it took Ruud Van Nistelrooy less than two minutes to score at the Vicente Calderon. Kaká waited a little longer…five minutes. Lassana Diarra set up the Brazilian playmaker to unleash a beauty of a strike from outside of the area.

0-2: In what was another French-Brazilian link up, Benzema put some good work in to assist Marcelo’s confident shot, which he blasted in from a tight angle. One of our commentators admitted he was “gobsmacked” at how the Brazilian had managed to squeeze the ball in at the near post. (25′)

0-3: Higuaín turns his marker to burst into the box and produce a good finish across goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo. (60′)

62″ Sergio Ramos is given a straight red card for bringing down Kun Agüero from behind when the striker was clean through on goal. The game changes quickly.

1-3: Diego Forlan gets one back for Atleti (79′), hitting home an Ujfalusi cross from the right. At first it looked as though it would just be a consolation goal but then……

2-3: Kun Agüero bursts out of the blue just two minutes later to break free from Pepe and neatly net into the bottom left-corner.

The chances kept coming for the red and whites, but the 10 man Madrid somehow managed to resist and in the 91st minute, Iker Casillas demonstrated just why they call him Saint Iker when he instinctively got his feet to an Agüero chance, with Sinama-Pongolle’s resulting header going over the bar.

Bragging rights went to the north of the capital and Real Madrid’s unbeaten away record against their bitter city rivals is now well into it’s tenth year.

We’ll be picking the game apart on Extra Time on Monday, where I will be joined by special guests Fredie Hermel, Tim Stannard and Maria Bretones.

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