Valencia 2-2 Real Madrid: Vinicius' double rescues draw for league leaders

Real Madrid managed to recover from a two-goal deficit to secure a 2-2 draw at Valencia's Mestalla Stadium, thereby stretching their undefeated streak on the road in LaLiga to 10 matches.

Real Madrid have asserted their claim for the title in recent weeks, while Girona, their closest rivals, are refusing to back down, setting the stage for another crucial showdown. However, a slow start to the game saw the visitors fall behind by two goals in a matter of minutes.

The first goal was a stroke of luck, with Fran Perez's wayward shot from Dimitri Foulquier's cross finding Hugo Duro unmarked just outside the six-yard box. Despite the ball reaching him quickly, Duro managed to react swiftly and guide it into the bottom corner.

Real Madrid may have been unlucky to concede the first goal, but the second was a result of their own mistake. Dani Carvajal's pass to Andriy Lunin lacked power, allowing Roman Yaremchuk to intercept and bypass his Ukrainian compatriot before calmly slotting the ball into an empty net.

Initially lacking in offensive threat, the visitors came to life after Federico Valverde tested Giorgi Mamardashvili with a low shot, leading Carlo Ancelotti's side to reduce the deficit just before half-time.

Valencia's decision to prohibit filming part of a Vinicius Junior documentary at the Mestalla was a major headline this weekend. The Brazilian player had previously experienced racist abuse during his last visit to the stadium. Despite this, he responded perfectly by scoring a goal from Carvajal's deflected cross.

After the break, both teams had excellent chances to score again. Jude Bellingham created space in the penalty area but was denied by Mamardashvili's save, while Diego Lopez's shot was blocked by Lunin.

Brahim Diaz then narrowly missed the target with a shot, but he played a crucial role in the match. His precise pass found Vinicius unmarked at the back post, allowing the forward to score and complete the comeback. The celebrations were briefly halted by a lengthy VAR review.

After a brief pause in the proceedings, the action resumed, although not all of it was welcome. Towards the end of regular time, Aurelien Tchouameni and Mouctar Diakhaby were involved in a horrifying, yet completely unintentional, collision that resulted in the latter needing to be carried off the field on a stretcher.

Then, in the first minute of stoppage time, Valencia was granted a penalty for a foul committed by Fran Garcia on Duro, only for referee Jesus Gil Manzano to reverse the decision after reviewing the incident on the pitchside monitor.

In a final twist, Manzano blew the final whistle just as Diaz delivered a cross to Bellingham, who headed the ball into the corner. Unsurprisingly, Madrid was furious, and even the Englishman received a red card for his protests after the match had ended.

As a result, Girona now has the opportunity to close the gap to Ancelotti and his team to just four points if they win their away match against Mallorca on Sunday. While Valencia may have been content with a point before the game, they will undoubtedly be disappointed with the manner in which they ultimately secured it.