Real Madrid Women returned to their winning ways with a resounding 3-1 win over Espanyol at the Alfredo DiStéfano Stadium, consolidating their position in the LigaF after the two-week international break. The match, played in front of 1,003 spectators, was characterized by a close first half that culminated with a goal from Sara Däbritz just after half-time, and a second phase dominated by the white offensive that proved more effective and creative.
From the beginning, Espanyol tried to prevail with the speed of Clara Browne, but Real Madrid's defense, led by Bella Andersson, was solid and managed to neutralize the dangerous attempts. In the 7th minute, Beerensteyn came close to scoring with a shot from point-blank range, while Däbritz placed the ball into the side netting, giving the home team the first goal. The Colombian player Linda Caicedo, who had started, became the key piece of the Madrid attack after the entry of the under-20 world champion, Felicia Schröder, in the 60th minute. Schröder scored the second goal with a powerful shot in the 70th, followed by a third goal in the 80th when María Méndez recovered the ball and left the blue and white goalkeeper with no options.
Espanyol managed to reduce the difference in the last minute thanks to a goal from Bicho, who took advantage of a defensive error by Andreia Jacinto to score the goal of honor. Despite the comeback, Real Madrid maintained the advantage and secured the victory with a dominant performance in the second half, with superior ball control and constant generation of danger in the three-quarter zone.
Referee Ágata López, from the Canary Islands, awarded several warnings to both teams, including Real Madrid goalkeeper Meritxell Muñoz and Espanyol defender Mar Torras. The match reflected Real Madrid's need to improve their creativity and lucidity in the final passes, although their forcefulness from set pieces was enough to close the match.
With this victory, Real Madrid consolidates its position at the top of the table, while Espanyol continues to fight to recover from the defeat. The next challenge for the white team will be to maintain their offensive rhythm and continue looking for the consistency that will allow them to advance in the standings.