Staff Reporter.
Real Madrid needed an injury-time winner from rookie Gonzalo Garcia to beat Leganes 3-2 in the Copa del Rey quarter-final.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side had looked in control, taking a 2-0 lead within 25 minutes.
Luka Modric, 39, extended his record as the club’s oldest goalscorer with a good finish from Rodrygo’s pass.
Brazilian teenager Endrick added a second.
Juan Cruz scored twice to pull Leganes level, the first from a penalty and the second a deflected strike.
But 20-year-old Garcia came on with eight minutes to go for his first appearance of the season and headed in Brahim Diaz’s cross.
Garcia has scored 19 goals in 21 third-tier games for Real Madrid’s B team this season.
“We suffered but we are in the semifinals of the Copa del Rey,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “We have to be satisfied with the outcome.”
Atletico Madrid had become the first team to reach the semifinals when it routed Getafe 5-0 at home on Tuesday with a pair of goals by Giuliano Simeone, the 22-year-old son of Atletico coach Diego Simeone.
In the other two quarterfinals on Thursday, it will be Real Sociedad hosting Osasuna and Barcelona playing at Valencia.