Real Madrid Femenino today defeated second division side Alhama 3-0 in the Copa de la Reina Round of 16. Las Blancas took the lead in the 30th minute thanks to center back Babett Peter’s header. Substitute Esther Gonzalez and Claudia Zornoza added late goals, ensuring Real Madrid’s progression to the Copa de la Reina quarterfinals.

Player Ratings

Starting XI

Méline Gérard – 6.5/10: Gerard was only forced to make one tough save. She got down well to deny Alhama. Gerard commanded the 18-yard box and defended Alhama’s crosses well.

Babett Peter – 7/10: Peter scored a brilliant header in the 30th minute to give Las Blancas the lead. Peter defended well but too often cleared the ball forward rather than playing out of pressure and maintaining possession for Real Madrid.

Claudia Florentino – 5.5/10: Florentino was solid defensively but she repeatedly tried to drive past defenders and instead turned the ball over in dangerous positions. Florentino moved to midfield late in the match and found Esther in the box, who won a penalty.

Sofie Svava – 6.5/10: Svava was tested far less than her fellow fullback Lucia. She won most of her duels but many of her tackles bounced off the attacker and back into the Alhama player’s path which led to some dangerous situations. Svava carried the ball up the pitch well and contributed to the build-up down the left side.

Lucía Rodríguez – 5.5/10: Lucía struggled to deal with the Alhama overloads down their left and didn’t add much to the attack in the first half. She also turned the ball over repeatedly and didn’t put off her marker in the 28th minute when Alhama created one of their best chances of the match. Lucía improved in the second half and put in a solid defensive shift.

Teresa Abelleira – 8.5/10: In a game that was chaotic and transitional, Teresa added a level of calmness to Las Blancas. She played a brilliant one-time pass to Nahikari Garcia, who was unable to finish the chance. Teresa also assisted both Peter’s opener as well as Esther from a corner kick.

Maite Oroz – 7.5/10: Maite Oroz was one of Las Blancas’ primary chance creators in her 45 minutes of play. She nearly assisted Caroline Moller Hansen in the fourth minute, but Moller dragged her shot wide of the goal. Oroz was involved in the chance Teresa carved out for Nahikari. The midfielder also combined well with Nahikari and Lorena which resulted in Lorena’s shot pinging off the post. She was replaced at halftime.

Lorena Navarro – 8/10: Lorena took some time to really get involved in the match. In the first half, she hammered the post with a well-struck shot. Lorena came to life in the second half when she was allowed to operate as a No. 10 rather than a winger. She dropped in between the lines and offered as an option, turning and dribbling at the back line. Lorena was replaced in the 75th minute.

Claudia Zornoza – 8.5/10: Like Lorena, Zornoza wasn’t at her best in the first half but played very well in the second half. She started to dictate play and break lines with both her passing and her dribbling. Zornoza drove at the back line before releasing Esther into space for a one-versus-one opportunity and converted the penalty kick that made it 3-0 late in the match.

Caroline Møller Hansen – 6/10: Møller had a great chance to open the scoring in the fourth minute but pulled it wide. She also wasted a headed opportunity toward the end of the first half. She faced up to her defenders repeatedly but struggled to make a positive impact on the left or right.

Nahikari García – 6/10: Nahikari played 88 minutes but was most active in the first half. Teresa played her through on goal but the Basque striker had her shot saved. She also had her shot saved when she tried to poke it home after Lorena’s shot redirected off the post and a defender. Nahikari had some really good back to goal moments in the first half but slowly drifted out of the game.

Substitutes

Athenea del Castillo – 5.5/10: Athenea came on at the half and played on the left wing. She tried to take players on but struggled to create much.

Olga Carmona – N/A: Olga came on in the 75th minute for Moller and quickly picked up an injury. She was replaced by Sara Martin in the 82nd minute.

Esther Gonzalez – 8.5/10: Esther came on and continued to demonstrate why she is Las Blancas’ most impactful player so far this season. She scuffed a one-versus-one before rebounding quickly and thumping home a header off a Teresa corner kick. She also drew the penalty which Zornoza converted.

Sara Martín – N/A: Sara came on and replaced the injured Olga Carmona in the 82nd minute. She made her Real Madrid debut but didn’t have much involvement in the match.

Rocio Galvez – N/A: Rocio replaced Nahikari Garcia in the 88th minute.