Vinicius and Rodrygo fire Real Madrid into top spot

Real Madrid took over at the top of LaLiga after securing back-to-back wins for the first time this season with a 2-0 victory over Osasuna at the Bernabeu.

Vinicius Junior notched his first goal of the season before the interval and fellow Brazilian Rodrygo marked his first appearance for the Spanish club with a debut goal in the second period.

Zinedine Zidane’s side responded to last week’s Champions League defeat at Paris St Germain by winning 1-0 at Sevilla on Sunday and followed that up by climbing up three places and into top spot.

Vinicius Junior got Real off the mark against Osasuna

Vinicius Junior got Real off the mark against Osasuna (Bernat Armangue/AP)

Luka Jovic lashed an early rebound just over the crossbar and Toni Kroos was also off target soon after as Real settled and began to chase an early goal.

Osasuna defended effectively after an encouraging start, restricting Real to just one further attempt before Vinicius opened the scoring in the 36th minute.

The Brazilian took one touch after being teed up by Kroos and curled a shot from outside the box into the top corner via a slight deflection off Osasuna defender Raul Navas.

Vinicius tried his luck into the opposite corner moments later, but his effort just cleared the crossbar.

Rodrygo celebrates scoring Real's second goal

Rodrygo celebrates scoring Real’s second goal (Bernat Armangue/AP)

Marc Cardona spurned a rare chance for Osasuna before half-time when his poor control from a ball over the top allowed Real goalkeeper Alphonse Areola to snuff out the danger.

Jovic was wayward when he had a clear shot on goal early in the second period, but he made no mistake when set up by Lucas Vazquez again in the 58th minute, only for his maiden goal for Real to be ruled out for offside by VAR.

Another Vazquez assist saw Kroos’ shot brilliantly saved in the top corner by Osasuna goalkeeper Ruben before Rodrygo scored less than a minute after replacing Vinicius with virtually his first touch.

Rodrygo, signed from Santos for £40million in June 2018 but only with Real’s squad since July, took Casemiro’s cross-field ball in his stride and, after cutting into the area, curled a low shot inside the far post.

Jovic headed Vazquez’s cross just wide and headed another late effort off target, while Rodrygo went close to his second in the closing stages following a corner.

FourFourTwo Staff

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