In Thursday’s thrilling La Liga encounter between Alaves and Real Madrid, Lucas Vazquez emerged as the hero as he scored a dramatic 92nd-minute winner to help his team clinch a crucial 1-0 victory.
The result propelled Real Madrid to the top of the table, ahead of Girona, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Real Betis earlier in the day.
The match was a closely contested one, with Alaves putting in a spirited performance to keep the Real Madrid attackers at bay.
Things took a turn for the worse for the visitors when defender Nacho Fernandez was sent off just 10 minutes into the second half, leaving them with 10 men for the remainder of the game.
Despite this setback, Real Madrid continued to push forward in search of a breakthrough, but the Alaves defence held firm.
As the clock ticked into injury time, it looked like Girona would end the day at the top of the league standings, but Lucas Vazquez had other ideas.
The 32-year-old forward rose highest to meet Toni Kroos’ inviting corner and directed his header into the back of the net, sending the Real Madrid fans into raptures.
It was Vazquez’s first goal of the season and could prove to be a vital one in the title race.
With the win, Real Madrid move to the top of the table on goal difference, ahead of Girona, as La Liga takes a break until January 2.
The victory also underlines their title credentials and sets them up nicely for the remainder of the season.
