1-1: Las Palmas narrowly misses a historic win against Real Madrid
Luis Carrión’s side secured a valuable point after taking the lead through a brilliant goal by Moleiro and holding off the reigning La Liga champions in the second half.
UD Las Palmas earned an impressive point on Thursday against the current La Liga champions (1-1). Luis Carrión's team took the lead for over an hour, thanks to a sensational goal by Alberto Moleiro. Goalkeeper Cillessen played a key role, keeping the scoreboard intact with several crucial saves, although Real Madrid managed to equalize with a penalty in the second half.
However, the referee disallowed a second goal by Viti, ruling it offside after Jaime Mata was flagged earlier in the play. With just 3 minutes left on the clock, Las Palmas saw their chance for a tenth official victory against the storied Madrid club slip away.
José Campaña was the main change in the UD Las Palmas starting lineup against Carlo Ancelotti’s side. The international midfielder made his season debut, anchoring the midfield alongside Kirian, Moleiro, and Javi Muñoz. Luis Carrión had urged his players to maintain possession for as long as possible in this high-stakes match.
The strategy paid off immediately as Las Palmas struck early, igniting the atmosphere at Gran Canaria. The goal came from Alberto Moleiro, who cut in from the wing after linking up with McBurnie. The Tenerife-born player finished his run with a low, diagonal shot into the far corner, leaving Courtois with no chance.
Las Palmas approached the match with a strong defensive effort and high pressing in Real Madrid’s half. McBurnie had two early chances in the 8th and 17th minutes, narrowly missing out on finishing crosses aimed at the Scottish striker.
The second big ovation of the night went to Jasper Cillessen. The Dutch goalkeeper made an impressive save in the 24th minute, denying a powerful free-kick from Fede Valverde. This was the first serious threat to the Canarian goal, but it wouldn’t be the last.
Once again, in the 37th minute, Cillessen showed his reflexes by tipping away a dangerous shot from Rudiger. The yellow-clad goalkeeper was crucial in preserving his team’s lead as the La Liga champions pushed hard for an equalizer.
Las Palmas reached halftime with positive momentum and a favorable scoreline. The match remained intense for the home side, as Real Madrid made tactical changes to increase their attacking threat.
Cillessen continued to shine in the second half, keeping out efforts from Vinicius, Rodrygo, and Mbappé as the clock approached the hour mark.
However, the equalizer came in the 68th minute. The referee awarded a penalty for an accidental handball by Álex Suárez, and Vinicius converted from the spot to level the match.
The closing stages of the game saw Las Palmas dig deep to preserve the draw. Yet, they thought they had found a late winner when Viti fired a shot into the top corner, only for the goal to be ruled out due to an earlier offside by Jaime Mata.
