Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo score in laboured Real Madrid win over Eibar
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Updated 29/11/2015 at 18:27 GMT
La Liga, Municipal De Ipurua - Eibar 0 Real Madrid 2 (Bale 43', Ronaldo 82')
Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo celebrate their goals in Real Madrid's 2-0 win over Eibar
Image credit: Reuters
Real Madrid made hard work of beating Eibar, bouncing back in unconvincing style from last week’s humiliating Clasico defeat to Barcelona.
Rafael Benitez made a number of changes to his starting lineup, with Karim Benzema dropping out and Mateo Kovacic selected in his place. Isco also missed out after he was shown red in the defeat to Barca at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Goals from Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo gave Real Madrid the 2-0 win, but they were troubled by the tiny Basque club - who had opportunities to find the net and take something from the game.
Ronaldo endured a frustrating afternoon, only finding the net from the spot after missing a number of clear-cut goalscoring opportunities. Problems persist for Real Madrid and their number seven, even after returning to winning ways in La Liga.
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Real Madrid's Welsh forward Gareth Bale (2nd R) celebrates a goal with teammates during the Spanish league football match SD Eibar vs Real Madrid CF at the Ipurua stadium in Eibar on November 29, 2015
Image credit: AFP
KEY EVENTS
12’ NAVAS IS CALLED UPON TO MAKE THE SAVE! Enrich finds space for himself about 25 yards out and decides to take the shot from range, but the Real Madrid goalkeeper gets behind it to stop.
13’ FIRST CHANCE FOR RONALDO! The Real Madrid number seven breaks the Eibar offside trap, but Riesgo comes off his line to smother and Kovacic blazes over the bar. Big opportunity.
40’ RIESGO HAS TO MAKE THE SAVE! Modric takes aim from the edge of the box, but the Eibar goalkeeper is behind it and has a relatively simple task to make the save. At least Real are shooting though.
43’ GOAL! Eibar 0 Real Madrid 1: Real Madrid have the breakthrough, but they hardly deserve it! Bale meets a cross into the box and heads past Riesgo. That was well taken by the Welsh winger.
55’ RONALDO WENT FOR THE OVERHEAD KICK! Bale did really well to get to the byline and clip a cross into the area. Ronaldo made contact, but not enough and he slices well wide.
59’ CHANCE FOR PANTIC! The Eibar defender finds some space inside the area, losing Pepe - who was supposed to be his marker. But Pantic can't get over the cross and heads well over.
61’ Eibar are getting closer here! This time Inui strikes the shot from distance, with the ball taking a deflection on its way through, but Navas is behind it and makes the stop. Good game, now.
63’ PENALTY APPEAL! Ronaldo is down in the box once again! This time though there is contact between the Real Madrid number seven and the Eibar defender. Was that a case of boy who cries wolf?
71’ WHAT A CHANCE FOR RONALDO! Vazquez picks a wonderful pass in behind the Eibar defensive line, with Ronaldo rounding the keeper, but from a tight angle he can only find the side netting.
74’ RONALDO HEADER WIDE OF THE TARGET! The Real Madrid number seven rises highest to meet a corner kick delivery but he can't get the direction or power on his header and directs it wide.
80’ PENALTY TO REAL MADRID! Vazquez is brought down inside the area and the referee points to the spot. That was an easy decision for the officials to make.
81’ GOAL! Einar 0 Real Madrid 2: Ronaldo steps up, after what has been a difficult afternoon for the number seven, and sends Riesgo the wrong way from the spot. He finally has his goal.
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Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (L) celebrates a goal with teammate Real Madrid's Portuguese defender Pepe (2ndL) during the Spanish league football match SD Eibar vs Real Madrid CF at the Ipurua stadium in Eibar on November 29, 2015
Image credit: AFP
KEY STATS
With 234 goals, Cristiano Ronaldo has equalled Hugo Sanchez as the third top scorer in the history of La Liga.
Real Madrid are the only side to have scored from a set-piece in a La Liga game against Eibar this season.
Against Einar Cristiano took the 100th penalty of his professional career (including shootouts). He has scored 86 and missed 14.
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Eibar's Japanese midfielder Takashi Inui (L) vies with Real Madrid's German midfielder Toni Kroos (R) during the Spanish league football match SD Eibar vs Real Madrid CF at the Ipurua stadium in Eibar on November 29, 2015
Image credit: AFP
TALKING POINT - What’s more important for Real Madrid - results or performances?
On the face of it, this is exactly what Rafa Benitez would have wanted from his team following the Clasico defeat to Barcelona - a clean sheet and three points. But the capital club were extremely unconvincing in victory, lacking any real control on the contest. But should that concern Benitez, or is he only worried about results? Either way, the lack of midfield presence will surely catch up with Real Madrid at some point if they continue to play like this.
MAN OF THE MATCH - Gareth Bale
Few came out of this game with any kind of credit, but Bale was the only player in white willing to take someone on, show some invention and make something happen. He grabbed the opener with a well-taken header, but the Welsh winger was Real Madrid’s best and most effective attacker in general. Was this a glimpse of the future - with Real revolving around their number 11?
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Real Madrid's Gareth Bale celebrates the first goal against with team mate James Rodriguez
Image credit: Reuters
PLAYER RATINGS
Eibar - Riesgo 7, Capa 6 Pantic 6, Dos Santos 5, Junca 5, Garcia 6, Escalante 5, Gonzalez 6, Saul 5, Inui 7, Enrich 6. Subs - Arruabarrena 5, Havrovic 5, Verdi 5.
Real Madrid - Navas 6, Carvajal 6, Pepe 7, Nacho 5, Danilo 5, Kroos 5, Modric 5, Kovacic 6, James 5, Bale 7, Ronaldo 5. Subs - Casemiro 5, Lucas 6, Benzema 4.
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