Ferencvaros 1-2 Real Madrid: Los Blancos Extend Pre-Season Winning Run

Real Madrid continued their strong pre-season form, achieving their third win in their last four friendly matches with a 2-1 victory over Ferencvaros at the Groupama Arena in Budapest. This result helps Los Blancos build momentum ahead of the upcoming La Liga season.

Mario Rivas and Carlos Espi scored for Madrid in quick succession, one in each half, establishing a comfortable lead. However, Kenan Kodro's well-taken goal late in the game for the Hungarian side narrowed the deficit and created a tense final half-hour.

Manager Jose Mourinho fielded a relatively young starting lineup. Notable absences included Mbappe, Bellingham, and Tchouameni, who are still recovering from World Cup commitments, as well as Courtois, Rodrygo, and Eder Militao, who are sidelined due to injury.

Despite the absences, the quality on display indicated that Real Madrid's preparations are on the right track. Arda Guler was a standout performer for the first hour, consistently creating scoring opportunities from his attacking midfield role.

Mario Rivas opened the scoring in the 41st minute. Alexis Ciria delivered a precise corner, and the center-back met it at the near post with a powerful header into the bottom corner.

Following a series of substitutions at halftime, which saw the introduction of players like Bernardo Silva, Vinicius Junior, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, Real Madrid extended their lead. Just four minutes into the second half, Federico Valverde played a composed pass into the area, and Carlos Espi finished first-time to make it 2-0. The young striker, who has attracted interest from several Premier League clubs this summer, has now scored in consecutive pre-season games.

Ferencvaros managed to pull a goal back in the 57th minute. Kristoffer Zachariassen made a driving run and found Kodro in space inside the box. The striker turned and fired the ball into the bottom right corner.

Ferencvaros, who had the advantage of greater competitive sharpness due to having already started their domestic season and participating in Europa League qualifying, pushed hard for an equalizer in the final quarter. Andriy Lunin was forced to make a sharp save from a Zachariassen header in the 63rd minute.