Football: Ozil strikes twice as Madrid win
Jose Mourinho sent out his assistant Aitor Karanka to face the press and he was full of praise for the match winner.
MADRID:
Mesut Ozil grabbed two goals as Real Madrid twice came from behind to defeat Valladolid 3-2 on Saturday to close to within eight points of Barcelona at the top of La Liga.
The German international’s brace included an exquisitely-curled, left-footed winner from a free-kick on 71 minutes to keep Madrid on the tails of Barca and second-placed Atletico Madrid. Former Manchester United striker Manucho twice gave Valladolid first-half leads that Karim Benzema and Ozil cancelled out.
Afterwards, Jose Mourinho sent out his assistant Aitor Karanka to face the press and he was full of praise for the match winner. “Ozil was exceptional and did a lot of work off the ball as well, I think we saw the Mesut that we all want to see tonight,” said Karanka. “We changed it around at half-time in search of more width and the win and it paid off.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 10th, 2012.
Mesut Ozil grabbed two goals as Real Madrid twice came from behind to defeat Valladolid 3-2 on Saturday to close to within eight points of Barcelona at the top of La Liga.
The German international’s brace included an exquisitely-curled, left-footed winner from a free-kick on 71 minutes to keep Madrid on the tails of Barca and second-placed Atletico Madrid. Former Manchester United striker Manucho twice gave Valladolid first-half leads that Karim Benzema and Ozil cancelled out.
Afterwards, Jose Mourinho sent out his assistant Aitor Karanka to face the press and he was full of praise for the match winner. “Ozil was exceptional and did a lot of work off the ball as well, I think we saw the Mesut that we all want to see tonight,” said Karanka. “We changed it around at half-time in search of more width and the win and it paid off.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 10th, 2012.