Real Madrid’s 10-man squad leads La Liga with a single goal from Lucas Vazquez

During Thursday’s 1-0 victory against Alaves, Lucas Vazquez’s goal in the 92nd minute sent 10-man Real Madrid to the top of La Liga.

After this season’s surprise packages were thwarted to a 1-1 draw at Real Betis earlier in the day, Madrid’s defender Vazquez went home to propel the team past Girona to the top place.

Even before Madrid’s star defender Nacho Fernandez was sent out ten minutes after the half, the Basque hosts Alaves had Madrid stumped.

Due to Madrid’s tie, it seemed like Girona would lead the Spanish top division into 2024 as the clock approached second-half injury time, but 32-year-old Vazquez had other ideas.

Toni Kroos, an accomplished midfielder for Germany, curled in a corner, and Vazquez scored his first goal of the year with an easy header. Los Blancos lead the standings on goal differential before La Liga is suspended until January 2.

With Artem Dovbyk’s first-half penalty in Seville, the Ukrainian’s 11th goal of the year, Girona seemed to be on their way to a fourth consecutive victory and their ninth in their previous ten games.

With two minutes remaining, however, German Pezzella—a World Cup champion with Argentina—leveled the score, extending Betis’ undefeated streak to 13 games, nine of which had ended in draws.

This season, Girona—a team that the owners of Manchester City own in part—only lost points four times in 18 games.

Before the visitors scored in the first half, Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga made a pair of deft saves from Willian Jose and Ayoze Perez after Savio was fouled in the area by Aitor Ruibal.

Dovbyk took the penalty kick and scored coolly to cap off an excellent first season in Spain.

However, Girona, attempting an improbable comeback to win the championship in only their fourth season in the top division, mishandled a late corner, and Pezzella hammered the loose ball past Gazzaniga.

Real Mallorca, who had only won three games all season, defeated Osasuna 3-2 to move five points clear of the relegation zone in another match.