Champions League: Real Madrid defeats RB Leipzig 2-0 in First Knockout Round
Valverde, Asensio score as holders take first-leg advantage
Leipzig finishes with edge in shots and xG, but Madrid wins possession and makes their chances count
Madrid, Spain - Real Madrid took a significant step towards the Champions League quarterfinals with a 2-0 victory over RB Leipzig in the first leg of their last-16 tie on Wednesday.
Federico Valverde opened the scoring in the 54th minute with a stunning strike from outside the area. Marco Asensio then sealed the win with a late goal in the 90th minute.
Leipzig had the better of the chances in the first half, but Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made several key saves to keep the visitors at bay.
Real Madrid took control of the game in the second half and created several chances of their own. Valverde's goal came after Vinicius Junior played him through on goal. Asensio's goal came after he was played in by Rodrygo.
Leipzig finished the game with 20 shots to Madrid's 11 and an edge in xG by 1.11 to 0.69. However, Real Madrid won the possession battle and made their chances count.
The second leg will be played in Madrid on March 14. Real Madrid will be confident of finishing the job and reaching the quarterfinals. Leipzig will need to produce a stunning performance if they are to overturn the deficit.
Conclusion: Real Madrid's victory over Leipzig was a reminder of their quality and experience in the Champions League. The holders are now in a strong position to reach the quarterfinals, but Leipzig will be determined to cause an upset in the second leg.
Komentar