Gonzalo Garcia delivered late drama, nodding home a stoppage-time winner as Real Madrid edged Leganes 3-2 on Wednesday to secure a spot in the Copa del Rey semifinals.
Madrid seemed in control after first-half goals from Luka Modric and Endrick, but the hosts stormed back to level the score in the second half.
Garcia, a 20-year-old striker from Madrid’s B team, made the difference, rising to meet Brahim Diaz’s cross and heading in the decisive goal three minutes into stoppage time.
“I’m thrilled, filled with emotions. It has been a dream since I was a child and since I joined the youth teams. I’m happy to have scored the goal that gave us a place in the semifinals,” Garcia said. “It was a perfect cross by Brahim, and the ball went in by itself.”
Another setback would have been troublesome for Madrid after it lost 1-0 at Espanyol in the Spanish league on Saturday for its second defeat in 15 matches across all competitions. Madrid had needed extra time to eliminate Celta Vigo at home in the round of 16 last month.
“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.”
Modric opened the scoring with a strike from close range in the 18th minute, and Endrick doubled the lead after picking up a loose ball inside the area in the 25th.
The hosts rallied, with Juan Cruz converting a penalty kick in the 39th and scoring again in the 59th when his shot deflected off a defender.
Madrid nearly regained the lead when Diaz’s flick over the goalkeeper struck the crossbar in the 75th.
Atletico Madrid became the first team to reach the semifinals when it routed Getafe 5-0 at home on Tuesday, with a pair of goals from Giuliano Simeone, the 22-year-old son of Atletico coach Diego Simeone.
In the other two quarterfinals on Thursday, Real Sociedad will host Osasuna, and Barcelona will visit Valencia.
Madrid was depleted in defense because of recent injuries to Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba. eder Militao and Dani Carvajal were already out with long-term injuries.
Ancelotti used youngsters Jacobo Ramon and Raul Asencio as central defenders and deployed midfielder Federico Valverde as a right back. Valverde picked up his 200th win in 295 matches with Madrid.
Ancelotti praised the youth squad players for stepping up.
“The youngsters have been doing a very good job,” Ancelotti said. “They lack experience but have been performing well. We know that we can count on them.”
Ancelotti rested some regular starters ahead of Saturday’s Spanish league derby against Atletico at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Madrid leads Atletico by one point at the top of the standings.
Madrid last won the Copa del Rey in 2022-23 and was eliminated by Atletico in the round of 16 last season.
Leganes, which reached the Copa semifinals in 2017-18 before being eliminated by Sevilla, is winless in three matches across all competitions and sits in 16th place in the Spanish league.
