A brilliant assist from Jude Bellingham set up Endrick, who demonstrated great composure in a one-on-one situation, making him the leading scorer for his team in the competition.
His decisive strike secured a crucial 1-0 away win against Real Sociedad in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final on Wednesday. The second leg is scheduled for April 1 at the Bernabéu.
The home side began the match energetically, but Madrid soon found their rhythm, exchanging opportunities as the first half progressed.
The deadlock was broken when Bellingham delivered an exceptional long pass from deep in his own half to Endrick, who controlled it skilfully before finishing with the outside of his boot, bringing his tournament tally to four goals.
Real Sociedad sought an immediate response. In the 22nd minute, Brais Méndez unleashed a shot that was expertly stopped by Ukrainian goalkeeper Andriy Lunin.
Moments later, Mikel Oyarzabal came close to levelling the score, but his fierce strike was denied by Madrid’s quick-reacting shot-stopper.
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Before halftime, Vinicius nearly doubled Madrid’s lead, only to be thwarted by an outstanding save from Remiro. Meanwhile, the local fans directed their frustration towards defender Raúl Asencio.
After receiving a yellow card for a foul on Ander Barrenetxea, the hostility intensified, with sections of the crowd chanting offensive remarks towards him.
Referee José Sánchez Martínez temporarily halted play to address the issue, following official protocols against discriminatory behaviour in football. A stadium announcement urged fans to refrain from such abuse.
At halftime, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti made the decision to substitute Asensio. “No one wants to be subjected to that kind of treatment.
He was clearly affected, so I felt it was best to take him off for his own well-being,” Ancelotti said post-match. “The referee handled the situation well.
Vinicius spoke with him, and he followed the proper procedures. Asencio was visibly impacted and had already been booked, so making the change was the right call.”
