Tchouaméni scores late to give Madrid win over Las Palmas

Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni came off the bench and scored a late header to snatch a 2-1 come from behind win at Las Palmas to take his side top of LaLiga on Saturday.

Carlo Ancelotti's team top the table on 54 points after 21 games, two ahead of second-placed Girona who will play their 22nd league game of the season at Celta Vigo on Sunday.

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Real were short of ideas in a lacklustre first-half as they struggled without their LaLiga top scorer Jude Bellingham, who was suspended after picking up his fifth yellow card last weekend in their last-gasp win against bottom side Almería.

Las Palmas, who started the weekend in eighth place only four points from the European spots, were solid in defence and neutralised Real forwards Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo, who seemed to miss Bellingham's influence in midfield.

Real controlled possession but struggled to created clear chances and were shocked by the hosts in the 53rd minute when Javi Muñoz tapped in from close-range after Sandro Ramírez burst up the right past a flailing Antonio Rudiger and sent over a low cross.

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The goal woke Real up and jet-heeled Vinícius Jr. created all kinds of trouble for the Las Palmas defence.

He missed a presentable chance from close range in the 64th minute but made amends a minute later when Eduardo Camavinga chipped a brilliant pass which Vinicíus Jr. took in his stride before netting with a tidy finish to equalise.

Real's pressure was relentless and they scored the winner in the 84th minute when substitute Tchouaméni netted a towering header from a Toni Kroos corner three minutes after coming on.

"It's great to have a motivated bench that often contributes a lot," Ancelotti told a press conference. "It is a tool we have. I look at the bench and I have a lot of good players that give me a variety of options to change a game."