Carlos Soler
One lapse from the penalty spot didn’t deter Carlos Soler, who made amends with three penalties against Real Madrid. Soler saw his initial penalty attempt saved but felt confident enough to return for another try.
Then another, and then another. The young midfielder ended up converting three penalty kicks for his hat trick as Valencia ended its winless streak with a 4-1 win over Real Madrid in the Spanish league on Sunday.
“I had doubts for a moment but then I decided to take it again,” the 23-year-old Soler said. “It gave me confidence for the other ones as well.”
Statistics platform Opta said it was the first time a player had scored three penalties in a Spanish league game this century. The La Vanguardia Spanish daily said it was the first time three penalties were called against Madrid in a league game.
Real Sociedad stayed at the top with a 2-0 win against a virus-depleted Granada team which was filled with youth-squad players. Granada finished without the minimum of five registered first-team players set out in the regulations and could be punished for using an illegal lineup.
Madrid also faced problems because of the coronavirus as Eden Hazard and Casemiro couldn’t play against Valencia because of positive COVID-19 results.
Soler took advantage as video review calls went against Madrid three times at Mestalla Stadium, setting up Valencia’s first win after four matches. VAR played a role in two penalties and in the own-goal by Madrid defender Raphael Varane.
“Everything went wrong in this game,” Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said. “Three penalties, an own-goal... It’s hard to explain.”
Madrid, which had won five of its previous six league games, took the lead in the 23rd minute with a goal from Karim Benzema, who left injured near the end of the match. Soler equalized from the penalty spot in the 35th after a handball by Lucas Vázquez. Soler saw his penalty saved by Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois but got a second chance after video review determined that players from both teams encroached into the area before he took his shot.
Valencia went ahead with the own-goal by Varane in the 43rd. VAR ruled that a ball that ricocheted off Varane’s leg crossed the goal line before Courtois could swipe it away.
Soler’s second goal from the spot came after Marcelo fouled Maxi Gómez in the 54th. VAR determined that Sergio Ramos touched the ball with his hand inside the area to prompt the third penalty converted by Soler in the 63rd.
Valencia was coming off a draw and three losses. It moved to ninth place with the win. Madrid dropped to fourth, four points off the lead with a game in hand.
