Benzema leads Real Madrid 3-1 over shorthanded Athletic 2 minutes read
Madrid, Dec 15 (efe-epa).- Real Madrid defeated Athletic Bilbao 3-1 here Tuesday to go level on points with the LaLiga leaders and extend their winning run to four matches in all competitions.
Karim Benzema had a brace, but Toni Kroos was the driving force for the Blancos attack against a visiting side that played 80 minutes with 10 men.
After being left on the bench for three games, Kroos made the most of his return to the lineup.
The opening minutes were difficult for the hosts, mainly due to a pair of giveaways by defender Lucas Vazquez. To his relief, neither Oscar De Marcos nor Iñaki Williams was capable of making Real Madrid pay for those mistakes.
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Karim Benzema scored twice in the second half at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano, lifting Madrid to a fourth straight victory in all competitions.
Zinedine Zidane s men joined Real Sociedad and Atletico Madrid on 26 points atop the table, but they struggled for large parts at home to Athletic.
Madrid played more than 75 minutes against 10 men following Raul Garcia s red card, but Toni Kroos fine opener was cancelled out by Ander Capa.
But Benzema haunted Athletic once more to continue Madrid s winning run.
Athletic had made a decent start before Garcia s aggression proved costly, the midfielder s third foul inside 13 minutes – this one on Kroos – leading to his second yellow card.
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Real Madrid’s French forward Karim Benzema (R) celebrates with Real Madrid’s French coach Zinedine Zidane after scoring a goal during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and Athletic Club Bilbao at the Alfredo di Stefano stadium in Madrid on December 15, 2020. (Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP).
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane hailed Karim Benzema as the best centre-forward in French history after his match-winning double against Athletic Bilbao put them joint top of La Liga on Tuesday.
Bilbao’s Ander Capa had cancelled out Toni Kroos’s thumping strike before Benzema, 32, struck twice late on, heading home a cross with 16 minutes remaining and finishing clinically in stoppage time from Luka Modric’s pass.
Benzema to the rescue as Real Madrid join Atletico and Real Sociedad at the top
The 32-year-old Frenchman scored twice in the second half to steer his side to a crucial 3-1 win. By AFP Wednesday 16 Dec 2020, 12:42 AM Dec 16th 2020, 12:42 AM 3,196 Views 0 Comments
Real Madrid s French talisman celebrates.
Image: Bernat Armangue
Image: Bernat Armangue
KARIM BENZEMA SPARED Real Madrid’s blushes on Tuesday with the winning brace which shot the reigning champions to a 3-1 win over Athletic Bilbao that draws them level on points with La Liga Leaders Real Sociedad.
Frenchman Benzema headed home a cross from Dani Carvajal with 16 minutes remaining to put Real ahead against battling Bilbao, who had fought back to level earlier having lost Raul Garcia to two quickfire bookings in opening minutes.
Real Madrid s Benzema best French forward ever, says Zidane
Manager ranked him above the likes of Henry, Trezeguet and current players Griezmann and Mbappe
REUTERS December 16, 2020
MADRID:
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane hailed his forward Karim Benzema as the best French striker of all time after his two goals helped them beat a stubborn Athletic Bilbao 3-1 at home on Tuesday in La Liga.
Madrid played the final 77 minutes with an extra man after Raul Garcia s early red card, but the visitors did not make life easy for the champions and Ander Capa scored in the second half to cancel out Toni Kroos s opening strike.