Real Madrid held at home by impressive Villarreal
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ByEurosport
Updated 01/03/2015 at 22:45 GMT
La Liga, Santiago Bernabeu - Real Madrid 1 (Ronaldo pen 52) Villarreal 1 (Moreno 64)
Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo (R) reacts after a missed scoring opportunity against Villarreal (Reuters)
Image credit: Reuters
Real Madrid now hold just a two point lead over Barcelona at the top of La Liga after they were held to a 1-1 draw by an under-strength Villarreal.
Marcelino Garcia started just three of his first-choice starting line-up for the game at the Santiago Bernabeu, but could count themselves fortunate not to leave the home of the Liga leaders with all three points after an impressive performance.
However, it was Real Madrid that opened the scoring when Cristiano Ronaldo was afforded the chance to finish from the spot after a foul by Eric Bailly, with the Portuguese winger finishing from 12 yards comfortably.
But the Yellow Submarine hit back through Gerard Moreno, who combined with substitute Luciano Vietto on the edge of the box before lashing a powerful shot past Iker Casillas into the bottom corner.
Ronaldo should have scored the winner in stoppage time, but somehow put his header from close range wide after electing to direct his effort across goal rather than power home at the near post as Real Madrid were held at home.
KEY EVENTS
14’ - OFF THE LINE: So close to a Villarreal opener! Casillas is first called upon to make the close range save from Moreno, then Carvajal makes the clearing header off the line from Gomez's shot. Oooft!
43’ - CROSSBAR: Off the crossbar from Bale! The Welsh winger's cross into the Villarreal penalty area catches out Asenjo and bounces off the top of the goalkeeper's bar. There's no way he meant that.
52’ - GOAL! Real Madrid 1 Villarreal 0. Asenjo makes his move earl and Ronaldo sends the ball into the opposite corner. Good penalty kick.
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Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo (C) celebrates his goal against Villarreal (Reuters)
Image credit: Reuters
55’ - ASENJO STOP: Ronaldo comes close to adding a second! Bale plays the Real Madrid number seven through on goal, but Asenjo comes off his line to smother the winger's shot. Big stop from Asenjo.
56’ - BALE BLAST: Wow! Ronaldo gets in behind the Villarreal backline and squares for Bale, but the Welsh winger blasts his effort well over the bar. That was almost laughable from the former Spurs man.
64’ - GOAL! Real Madrid 1 Villarreal 1. The away side have an equaliser! Moreno and Vietto link up, and the latter lashes home a finish on the swivel turn.
73’ - ASENJO SAVE: Incredible save from Asenjo! Ronaldo looks for all the world to have found the net with a powerful header, but the Villarreal pulls off an exceptional stop to keep the score at 1-1!
80’ - VIETTO CHANCE: He lost his footing at the wrong moment! Varane misjudges a long ball forward, allowing Vietto in on goal, but the Villarreal forward fell over just as he was about to hit the shot!
88’ - JESE MISS: That should have hit the net! Asenjo comes off his line to make the catch, but spills it. The ball drops to Jese, who somehow manages to shoot wide of the near post with the goal gaping.
90+1’ - WOODWORK: Did that come off the post? Villarreal for once are caught sleeping at the back, with Kroos' cross forcing Costa into a desperate clearance that actually looked to hit the post!
90+2’ RONALDO HEADER: That was the opportunity for the winner! Marcelo clips an excellent cross into Ronaldo, who seems to have a free header, but he goes back across goal when he should have powered it home.
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Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the Spanish league football match Real Madrid CF vs Villarreal CF at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on March 1, 2015. The game ended with a draw 1-1.
Image credit: AFP
KEY STATS
The draw with Villarreal has ended a streak of 26 Liga games without a single draw for Real Madrid.
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 46 Liga penalties, putting him second in the most Liga penalties in history behind Hugo Sanchez.
Ronaldo is the first player to score over 30 goals in five straight seasons in La Liga history.
TALKING POINT
Was Ancelotti’s call to take off Isco the right one? With Real Madrid chasing a winner to keep them four points ahead of Barcelona at the top of La Liga, Ancelotti decided to take off his best player Isco. The substitution was met with jeers and whistles from the home crowd, especially when Asier Illarramendi replaced him. And the Italian’s call didn’t exactly pass off, as Real Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw.
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Real Madrid's Gareth Bale (2nd L) fights to head the ball with Villarreal's Tomas Pina (C) during their Spanish first division soccer match at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, March 1, 2015 (Reuters)
Image credit: Reuters
MAN OF THE MATCH
Sergio Asenjo (Villarreal): Villarreal were hardly short of star players as they outshone Real Madrid for much of the game, but Asenjo was the best of the lot. The Argentinean keeper made a number of good saves to keep the Liga leaders at bay, with one stop in particular from a Ronaldo header especially astonishing. His resolve at that point of the game - just after Real’s opener - was crucial to the Yellow Submarine coming away from the Bernabeu with a result.
PLAYER RATINGS
Real Madrid: Casillas 7, Marcelo 7, Varane 5, Pepe 6, Carvajal 8, Lucas 5, Kroos 6, Isco 7, Bale 5, Ronaldo 6, Benzema 5. Subs: Jese 5, Illarramendi, Hernandez.
Villarreal: Asenjo 8, Costa 6, Dorado 6, Bailly 5, Mario 6, Pina 5, Marcos 5, Gomez 7, Campbell 6, Moreno 7, Giovani 6. Subs: Trigueros 5, Vietto 7, Dos Santos 5.
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