Video: Michael Essien impresses in La Liga debut as Real Madrid defeat Vallecano
Posted On Monday, 24th September 2012
Ghana midfielder Michael Essien completed his full first match of the season on Monday night as he helped Real Madrid to a 2-0 win at Rayo Vallecano on his La Liga debut.
The midfielder was handed a starting role ahead of Sami Khedira and partnered Xabi Alonso in Mourinho’s set-up that thoroughly dominated the game
Essien, who is on a season-long loan move from Chelsea, was impressive in the first half but waned a bit after the break as he makes his recovery from two serious injuries.
He was shown the yellow card for handball on five minutes but after the break he showed his predatory instincts.
In the 52nd minute, his right footed shot from outside the box missed the target narrowly as he charged in front of Rayo’s goal.
Real, who had lost their opening two away matches in La Liga, may have seen the early passages of play go in Rayo’s favour, but took the lead early on.
From two yards out and unmarked, Karim Benzema finished a neat counter-attack from Cristiano Ronaldo and Angel Di Maria.
Jose Mourinho’s team eventually did get a second goal, as Ronaldo converted a penalty, having seen his original low cross from the right handled by a sliding Jordi Amat.
Ronaldo failed to finish off an excellent passing move by the visitors just minutes after that, when his chipped effort in front of an open net came back off the post.
Jose Casado’s late tackle on Mesut Ozil earned him a second yellow in stoppages.
Watch full highlights of the game and Essien’s performance
Rayo 0-2 Real Madrid footyroom.com by footyroom
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The Midfield General is Bakkk…..Gudluck Bro.
All de bst
chelsea u hear that.all rdm like is mikel what the hell, fuck u boo shit men
You call it hype? Interesting. Don’t forget that Essien has seen better days. He is not a youngster to get carried away by hype. Goal.com rated him 4 stars out of five( the highest rating in the team) ahead of CR7 who got the winning goal.
The hype must stop if we really want to help this guy.
Kwasi Appiah is time to bring back Esien,Quincy,The Rock,Johnnatan Mensah,Kevin Boateng and Muntari plus Ayew brothers,Asamoah Gyan,K.Asamoah,k.Asareh Vosarh,Opare,Boye and Atsu Ghana will win World Cup if you play this players togher is a build up to 2014 .!!!
Finally de man is back nd he will destroy chelsea incease real Madrid meet them in de champions league.
i watched the game and he was at best average,though he did put up a good showing late in the first half and showed glimpses of his own self with some well-timed tackles…but he played in a superb team setting which made his look good…else individually,Essien was just as ordinary as one could expect for a player at his verge of retiring from active football in due time,forget the ratings on goal.com.
i watched the game and he was at best average,though he did put up a good showing late in the first half and showed glimpses of his own self with some well-timed tackles…but he played in a superb team setting which made him look good…else individually,Essien was just as ordinary as one could expect for a player at his verge of retiring from active football in due time,forget the ratings on goal.com.
Gud play essien, keep it up!
WE ARE ALL FORGETING ONE MAN WE NEED TO GIVE THANKS TO; MOURINHO,THE ONLY ONE.
Give thanks to God not mourinho
All we need do is to pray he remains in the gud books of the ‘only one’
he is the same essien i knw,he dnt like ghana bt rather play for his own pride. Nansis
Essien is in gud form,now is the tym 4 K. Appiah 2 call him back