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Valencia forward Carlos Soler scored a penalty shootout hat-trick as his team beat La Liga champions Real Madrid 4-1 at home in an extraordinary match on Sunday.
Karim Benzema put Madrid ahead with a searing blow from outside the box only for Valencia to finally tie with the first of three Soler penalties after a most unusual twist.
Soler saw Thibaut Courtois save his penalty shot and then hit the post on the rebound, while teammate Yunus Musah scored the fumble, only to see the goal disallowed after a VAR review showed him invading the area.
A new take was ordered and Soler was not wrong on the second attempt.
Valencia took the lead before the break with a rare own goal from Raphael Varane, who inadvertently sent the ball over his head and just over the line, and the goal was conceded several minutes later after another VAR review. .
Valencia’s teenage forward Lee Kang-in was nearly a third right at the start of the second period, but Courtois aimed his shot at the post.
However, the locals maintained the momentum and won two more penalties, for a foul by Marcelo on Maxi Gómez and a hand from Sergio Ramos.
Soler converted each time, becoming the third player in La Liga history to score three penalties in a single game.
Five in a row for Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad players beat Granada exhausted from virus
Previously, Real Sociedad beat an almost unrecognizable Granada 2-0 to return to the top of La Liga.
The visitors’ attempt to postpone the game due to a series of coronavirus cases was rejected by the authorities, meaning they were forced to make nine changes since last week’s 1-1 draw with Levante and started with five players aged 20 and under.
Granada’s makeshift squad got off to a brilliant start, but Sociedad took the lead midway through the first half via left-back Nacho Monreal, before a Mikel Oyarzabal penalty five minutes later doubled their lead.
Brazilian forward Willian José had a penalty shot stopped by Granada’s 18-year-old goalkeeper Ángel Jiménez in the second half and the Society ended the game with 10 men when defender Robin Le Normand received a direct red card in the 86th minute.
Granada won a penalty in added time, but Darwin Machis was denied by an excellent save by Alex Remiro and the Basques celebrated their fifth consecutive victory in LaLiga.
Other La Liga results:
- Getafe 1-3 Villarreal
- Raise 1-1 Alaves
- Valladolid 2-1 Athletic Bilbao
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