Player Ratings: Real Madrid Femenino 1 - 0 Rayo Vallecano

Real Madrid Femenino managed to put another 3 points on the board and managed to string together 2 consecutive wins thanks to a goal from Esther again. Aznar lined up the team in a 5-2-1-2 formation with Moller Hansen playing behind the duo of Esther and Nahikari. Claudia Florentino replaced Babett Peter in the lineup and Misa was back in the XI after completing the COVID protocols. Madrid were never really tested during the game but still looked nervy in closing the game.

Here are the player ratings from the game.

Starting XI

GK: Misa — 6.5/10

Gave a heart in mouth moment towards the end of the game when she received a wobbly back pass from Teresa. Overall she wasn’t tested in the game with Rayo looking toothless in attack. She ended the game with a nonchalantly controlling an awkwardly bouncing ball on her chest and then letting it bounce off of her head, not sure that was planned but it was a heart in mouth moment

LWB: Olga Carmona — 7/10

Olga started the game really brightly and was a constant menace moving forwards. The final ball didn’t always come but she provided the width and was really brilliant on the overlap as well. She whipped in a brilliant cross for Nahikari in the first half but the latter’s shot was wide. She herself had a go at goal after getting in good positions by making runs behind on the overlap.

LCB: Ivana Andrés — 7/10

Ivana was back into the lineup and shepherded the backline. She was at her usual business, stopping attacks before they turned dangerous and stepping high up to close down opponents. On the ball, she looked comfortable as well.

CB: Rocío Gálvez — 7.5/10

Rocío was really dominant in her performance. She didn’t let the opponents a sniff at goal and in the dying nervy moments she managed to clear lines as well. Her ground coverage and 1v1 defending was really solid as well.

RCB: Claudia Florentino — 6.5/10

Claudia was aggressive as well in her defending but successful to a lesser extent as she gave away a couple of fouls. Her style of defending leaves an impression with her putting the body on line in defending duels. She covered the ground well.

RWB: Kenti Robles — 6.5/10

Kenti had a couple of decent crosses and was a regular threat moving forwards but it didn’t come off a lot of times. It was a relatively okay game by her standards.

CM: Maite Oroz — 7.5/10

Maite looked really solid once again in the middle of the park, holding the team together. In the first half, she almost did everything whether it be recovering possession or trying to wiggle through players and create something. Her defensive workrate was really good, as she read and cut out dangers well.

CM: Claudia Zornoza — 6.5/10

Zornoza’s performance was a slightly mixed bag. On one hand she played some nice switches which created danger in attack and had a long range effort hit the post and on the other there were some sloppy giveaways in the middle of the park that resulted in a transition opportunity. Overall her performance was a net positive.

AM: Caroline Møller Hansen — 8.5/10

It was one of Møller’s best performances in her brief Madrid career so far. She was deployed as the #10 behind Nahikari and Esther and showcased so many of her strengths. Her ability to receive with a defender on her back and lay it off for the overlapping fullback and then continue her run into the box or her runs into the channel or her movements in the box were all on display here.

CF: Nahikari — 8/10

This was arguably Nahikari’s best performance in a Madrid shirt. She was really dynamic, dropping off, holding off challenges and using her vision to play her teammates through. She picked up a brilliant assist for the goal. She could have had a goal early on from an Olga cross but her effort sailed wide. Her linkup play was on display as well.

CF: Esther Gonzalez — 8/10

Esther scored in back to back games for Madrid and helped secure another 3 points. She could have even had a hattrick in the game. She looked good and continues to build up confidence and add goals that the team has lacked. Her ability to create space for herself to get the shot off is fantastic. At times her decision making and timing to let go of the ball was slightly off.

Substitutes

CM: Teresa Abelleira — 6.5/10 (replaced Maite; 73’)

Teresa looked slightly rusty since her return from injury, which is understandable. She almost gave away the goal after a really poor back pass to Misa in the final 10 mins.

AM: Lorena — NA (replaced Olga; 81’)

Played a good ball for Esther on the break whose first touch was heavy. Her positioning was really dynamic.

LWB: Lucia Rodriguez — NA (replaced Møller; 81’)

Lucia played as the LWB and displayed good recovery speed to get back in position.

CF: Athenea del Castillo — NA (replaced Nahikari; 81’)

Formed the front 2 with Esther to close the game and looked really threatening. She created danger on the break and added a spark to attack.