"The opening stages were dominated by possession from the hosts, though Espanyol's defensive shape initially kept them at bay. That resistance was broken in stunning fashion in the 22nd minute when Militao collected the ball on the edge of the box and unleashed a thunderous drive into the top corner - an early contender for goal of the season. Federico Valverde provided the simple assist, but the finish was all about Militao's individual quality."
"Espanyol, who had offered little going forward, almost shocked the home crowd before the interval. A free-kick delivery found Calero stretching inside the penalty area, but he couldn't make proper contact to test Thibaut Courtois. At the other end, Vinicius and Mbappe combined brilliantly just before half-time, only for the French striker to drag his shot wide. Despite Real's dominance in possession - over 72% in the first half - Espanyol actually edged the xG, highlighting the danger they carried on rare counterattacks."
Real Madrid maintained a perfect start with a 2-0 victory over Espanyol at the Santiago Bernabeu. Eder Militao opened the scoring in the 22nd minute with a thunderous drive from the edge of the box, assisted by Federico Valverde. Despite heavy possession (over 72% in the first half), Espanyol edged the xG and threatened on rare counters. Kylian Mbappe doubled the lead early in the second half with a low, unstoppable finish, his fifth league goal of the campaign. Real dominated thereafter, creating several chances while Espanyol made substitutions to try to inject energy into their attack.
Read at 101GREATGOALS.COM
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