Substitute Espi snatches last-gasp winner in Real Madrid LaLiga opener
Real Madrid's LaLiga opener against Espanyol was anything but smooth on Saturday, but substitute Carlo Espi delivered a dramatic 90th-minute winner to secure a 2-1 victory. Jude Bellingham put Real ahead in the ninth minute with a header from Arda Guler's cross, but Espanyol's Alex Calatrava equalised before halftime. Jose Mourinho made several changes at halftime in an attempt to break the deadlock, with Espi coming on in the 85th minute.
The 21-year-old Spaniard struck a perfect finish on a loose ball after Kylian Mbappe was dispossessed to seal the win. Mourinho expressed satisfaction with his new signings' hunger and resilience after the early setback, emphasizing that the bench provided the strength needed to win the match.
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- Real Madrid snatch late win at Espanyol on Mourinho’s return freemalaysiatoday.com
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- Late Espi goal fires Real Madrid to win at Espanyol on Mourinho’s return adomonline.com
- Mourinho begins Real Madrid reign with last-minute win dailytrust.com
- Real Madrid beat Espanyol 2-1 in Jose Mourinho’s first game on return aljazeera.com
