Tote and Portillo enjoy Spanish Cup

Tote and Portillo, having scored two goals each, put Real Madrid among the last 16.

Tonight's Madrid starting lineup had as many as six players from the reserve teams, but they did not have to struggle to beat Oviedo, a squad that enjoyed their best chances after the visitors hit the first target. In the late minutes of the game we witnessed the debut of another player from the youth teams, Juan Olalla. This triumph allows Madrid to forget about the Spanish Cup until next January when the rounds will be played in two games.

The Spanish Cup championship brought joy back to all the Real family; this is the most appropriate description for tonight's match against Oviedo. The stars of the showdown were the junior players who took a big step in their run to be part of the first team. However, they first had to overcome a tough Real Oviedo.

Celades, Flavio, Solari and McManaman gave character to the midfield actions, but it was Portillo who struck first. The forward had already warned us a few minutes earlier with a chance that nearly took the local keeper by surprise (28'). The second time he did not let him clear. Solari made his way on the left flank and Portillo rounded off the assault with a fantastic goal (32').

At that time the other Real Madrid Spanish Cup hero appeared: Tote. He put his squad among the last 16 in just seven minutes. He scored the second goal from a counterattack that Raúl Bravo set off (45'); his second one came after a wonderful centre pass by McManaman, Tote was there to send it into the net with a great header (52').

That was everything we could see. This triumph puts Madrid among the last 16, who will be playing next January in two games. The next encounter is against Rayo Vallecano in a Liga match. We will see different actors then, but the Cup squad has already reasserted itself.