Madrid labours to a 2-nil win over Valladolid

Real Madrid escaped from a largely uninspiring display with two late goals; securing a fortuitous 2-0 win over Real Valladolid in Santiago Solari's first LaLiga match in charge.

Vinicius Junior came off the bench to force an own goal off Kiko Olivas in the 83rd minute before Sergio Ramos ensured the European champions finished a poor showing on an upbeat note with a penalty five minutes later.

Valladolid had rattled the crossbar twice in the second half and will count themselves highly unfortunate not to have further opened the wounds inflicted during last weekend's El Clasico humiliation.

Solari, who replaced the sacked Julen Lopetegui following that 5-1 loss, presided over a 4-0 Copa del Rey victory over third-tier Melilla in the first match of his caretaker stewardship, but for the first 80 minutes this was a sobering reminder of the work needed to mend a misfiring side.

Marcelo's absence afforded Sergio Reguilon a LaLiga debut and the left-back, the target of Ramos' fury during a training ground incident last month, created early opportunities that Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale both wasted.

The malaise eventually spread to the other end as only wasteful finishing from Antonito and Enes Unal prevented the home fans' whistles from growing louder.

Valladolid looked the more likely to break the deadlock after the interval with Thibaut Courtois' crossbar denying both Ruben Alcaraz and Toni Villa.

But it was to be a cruel end for the impressive visitors as Vinicius' heavily deflected shot left Jordi Masip with no chance, before Fernando Calero's sloppy foul on Benzema allowed Ramos to snap his side's five-game winless run in LaLiga, moving them temporarily to within four points of leaders Barcelona.

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When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, when the road you're trudging seems all uphill, when the funds are low and the debts are high, and you want to smile but you have to sigh, when care is pressing you down a bit - rest if you must, but don't you quit. Life is queer with its twists and turns. As everyone of us sometimes learns. And many a fellow turns about when he might have won had he stuck it out. Don't give up though the pace seems slow - you may succeed with another blow. Often the goal is nearer than it seems to a faint and faltering man; Often the struggler has given up when he might have captured the victor's cup; and he learned too late when the night came down, how close he was to the golden crown. Success is failure turned inside out - the silver tint of the clouds of doubt, and when you never can tell how close you are, it may be near when it seems afar; so stick to the fight when you're hardest hit - it's when things seem...

Paul Okah

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