LIGA F
Colombia star Linda Caicedo scores her first league goal for Real Madrid against Levante Las Planas
After a disappointing home debut, the teenager bounced back by finding the net for the first time at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano.
Colombian superstar Linda Caicedo didn’t have the best of home debuts for Real Madrid, it’s fair to say, but her second appearance at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano was a much happier one as she notched her first league goal for the club.
After celebrating her 18th birthday by signing for Las Blancas, she made her debut as a substitute on 4 March away to Alhama and scored her first goal on her second appearance in the Copa de la Reina at Villarreal. So far, so good. Her first start for Madrid soon followed in a goalless derby draw against Atlético Madrid, before she finally played her first competitive minutes at her home ground against Tenerife on 18 March, backed by a large number of her compatriots in the stands.
Caicedo’s home debut drama
It proved to be a bittersweet occasion, however, as Caicedo was sent sprawling by a sliding challenge before half-time, landing on her back and eventually forced to leave the field of play despite initially attempting to play on.
Thankfully, the injury proved to be nothing more than a minor one and she was back in the starting line-up the following weekend against Barcelona but couldn’t stop her team from slumping to a 1-0 defeat, which all but ensures the Catalans will claim a fourth successive league title.
But after a couple of disappointing outings for the Colombian, she bounced back with a bang in Friday’s Liga F fixture against Levante Las Planas, scoring for the very first time in the competition from her position on the left flank.
Caicedo opens her Liga F account for Real Madrid
With less than quarter-of-an-hour of the game gone, Caicedo picked up possession on the left-side of the penalty area, exchanged passes first with Caroline Weir and then with Maite Oroz, whose delightful first-time flick opened up the away defence. The teenager found herself one-on-one with goalkeeper Doris Bačić, who probably won’t be best pleased with attempted intervention as she allowed Caicedo’s more than saveable shot to squeeze past her at the near post. Not the Colombian star cared as she trotted off to celebrate, dancing on the goal line and briefly pointing to the heavens with both hands.
A first league goal of what will surely be many for Real Madrid in Liga F. Las Blancas went onto win the game 3-0 but are 10 points behind Barça with only six matches left to play.