Real Madrid booked an important victory on Saturday when visiting Celta de Vigo. Zinedine Zidane’s team was, not for the first time this season, taken by the hand by Karim Benzema. The 33-year-old center forward guided Real to victory with two goals, partly thanks to a blunder by former Feyenoord player Renato Tapia. Marco Asensio signed for Real’s third in injury time: 1-3. The Royal climbs by one point more to second place over Barcelona, which will play against Real Sociedad on Sunday.
Benzema was already dangerous in the opening phase, when Hugo Mallo could throw himself in the path of the Frenchman’s shot. Moments later it was still hit for Benzema, when after a clever pass from Toni Kroos he turned open and finished very quickly: 0-1. Celta was close to the equalizer, were it not for the fact that Santi Mina headed just over the intersection from a free kick by Denis Suárez.
Yet it was Real Madrid that dominated the game. Benzema offered Vinícius Júnior a huge opportunity, but the Brazilian sent the ball from close range with his chest over the goal. After half an hour of play, the visitors took advantage of a big mistake by Renato Tapia, who had the ball stolen by Toni Kroos. The Real midfielder immediately put Benzema to work, who easily finished it: 0-2. Almost out of nowhere, Celta did something back just before half-time, when Mina did hit the head this time from a free kick by Suárez: 1-2.
That’s two for Benzema! ???
And he can thank Renato Tapia for that ??#ZiggoSport #LaLiga #CeltaRealMadrid pic.twitter.com/RYejGFWvi9– Ziggo Sport Football (@ZS_Voetbal) March 20, 2021
After an hour of play, Thibaut Courtois had to prevent Iago Aspas from shooting the ball into the short corner. The Real goalkeeper had an excellent save at home. Real didn’t create too much more, but could have decided the match in the counter. Vinicius thought he would give Benzema an unmissable inticker, but the broad pass was intercepted at the last moment. Iago Aspas fired an unjustly received free kick against the outside of the post in the final phase, which gave Real a good escape. The Madrid players finally closed the game in injury time, when substitute Asensio walked into a Benzema cross from the left: 1-3.
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