Real Betis 3-5 Real Madrid: Thriller at the Villamarin

LALIGA | Betis - Real Madrid (3-5) — El Real Madrid se llevó los tres puntos del Benito Villamarín en un partido loco, que tuvo emoción hasta el último minuto / | LALIGA

Jordi Gil

18/02/2018 Upd. on 19/02/2018 at 00:47 CET

Asensio started and banged in two goals for Los Blancos

Marco Asensio struck twice as Real Madrid edged a thriller against Real Betis to… stay fourth and move back within 17 points of leaders Barcelona.

MATCH FACTS

Liga Santander

BET

3 ________________ 5

MAD

LINE UP

Real Betis

Adán, Barragán, Mandi, Bartra, Amat (Javi García, 74'), Júnior, Boudebouz (Sergio León, 80'), Fabián, Guardado (Tello, 80'), Joaquín y Loren

Real Madrid

Keylor, Carvajal, Nacho, Ramos, Marcelo (Theo, 29'), Casemiro, Kovacic, Lucas Vázquez, Asensio, Bale (Isco, 72'), Cristiano Ronaldo (Benzema, 88')

Goles

0-1, Asensio (10'); 1-1, Mandi (32'); 2-1, Nacho, en propia puerta (36'); 2-2, Sergio Ramos (50'); 2-3, Asensio (58'); 2-4, Cristiano (64'); 3-4, Sergio León (84'); 3-5, Benzema (91')

Árbitro

Gil Manzano (extremeño). TA: Barragán (43'), Junior (48'), Loren (60') / Carvajal (5'), Kovacic (46'), Bale (56'), Casemiro (80')

Incidencias

Benito Villamarín, 53.486 espectadores

Los Blancos followed up their impressive 3-1 Champions League win over PSG with a shaky display at the Benito Villamarin, when without young striker Asensio, they might have been sunk.

In the 11th minute he headed home after Cristiano Ronaldo’s effort was parried by Antonio Adan.

Betis bounced back strongly, with Mandi heading home and then Nacho bundled into his own net when Junior’s effort was blocked by Keylor Navas.

However Zidane geed up his players at the break and they came out swinging.

Sergio Ramos headed home Lucas Vazquez’s corner after 50 minutes, with Asensio sweeping home from Dani Carvajal’s cross to put Madrid 3-2 up and score his side’s 6,000th La Liga goal in the process.

Cristiano Ronaldo got involved after that, ramming home after a lovely chip by Casemiro.

Sergio Leon pulled one back with five minutes to go, setting things up for a supreme finale, but when the eighth goal came, it was for Madrid not against them.