Alvaro Morata scores late winner to send Real Madrid top of the league
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Updated 23/10/2016 at 21:22 GMT
La Liga, Bernabeu - Real Madrid 2 (Benzema 7, Morata 83) Athletic Bilbao 1 (Merino 28)
Real Madrid's French forward Karim Benzema (R) celebrates a goal with teammates during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and Athletic Club Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on October 23, 2016.
Image credit: AFP
Alvaro Morata scored a late winner to see Real Madrid edge past Athletic Bilbao and send Zinedine Zidane’s side top of La Liga.
The visitors to the Santiago Bernabeu proved difficult to break down, with Real suffering problems of their own at the back. They rode their luck at times, with Inaki Williams in particular passing up a couple of golden opportunities, but Morata’s stoppage time goal was enough to give them three points.
Karim Benzema opened the scoring for the hosts, with Isco squaring for the striker to finish from inside the penalty area. But Sabin Merino equalised for Athletic, making the most of some lacklustre defending.
Ronaldo and co. struggled to make the most of their territorial dominance in the second half, until Morata - brought on as a substitute for Benzema - stabbed home a finish from close range to see Real Madrid over the line.
TALKING POINT
Is Cristiano Ronaldo’s form a problem? For the first time in his Real Madrid career Ronaldo has now gone four matches without scoring at the Bernabeu. He had his chances to find the net against Athletic Bilbao, particularly in stoppage time when he saw his shot from a one-on-one situation saved. The Portuguese is certainly lacking confidence at the moment, but is this a problem for Zidane?
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Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo reacts.
Image credit: Reuters
MAN OF THE MATCH
Isco (Real Madrid) - The playmaker was the best player on the pitch, which made it all the stranger when Zidane made the decision to hook him for the first substitution. Everything Real Madrid did well came through Isco, turning in his best performance of the season so far. The home crowd booed the decision to take him off, and indeed it appeared to be a baffling call given how well he was playing.
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Real Madrid's midfielder Isco (top) vies with Athletic Bilbao's French defender Aymeric Laporte during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and Athletic Club Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on October 23, 2016.
Image credit: AFP
PLAYER RATINGS
Real Madrid - Navas 6, Carvajal 7, Pepe 4, Varane 4, Marcelo 7, Kroos 7, Kovacic 5, Isco 8, Bale 6, Benzema 7, Ronaldo 5. Subs - Lucas 5, Morata 7.
Athletic Club - Iraizoz 7, Lekue 8, Etxeita 6, Laporte 7, Saborit 5, San Jose 6, Rico 6, Williams 5, Eraso 7, Sabin 7, Garcia 7. Subs - Iturraspe 5, Susaeta 5, Muniain 5.
KEY MOMENTS
6’ NAVAS HAS TO MAKE THE SAVE! Athletic come forward for the first time in the match, with Eraso setting up Williams for the shot. But Navas makes the save to tip round the post.
8’ GOAL! Real Madrid 1-0 Athletic Club: It only takes one mistake against a team like Real Madrid! An Athletic defender slipped, allowing Isco to set up Benzema for the finish from six yards out.
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Real Madrid's Karim Benzema celebrates his goal.
Image credit: Reuters
10’ RONALDO JUST WIDE! The Real Madrid number seven takes the ball about 30 yards out, spins and takes aim, but he flashes his shot just past the post. Iraizoz was worried.
17’ BALE HEADS OVER! The Welsh winger got on the end of Marcelo's cross to the back post, but he couldn't get the direction right and heads harmlessly over the crossbar.
18’ WHAT A CHANCE! Sabin ghosted into the Real Madrid penalty area completely unmarked, but from a matter of yards out he somehow headed over the target. That was a sitter.
27’ GOAL! Real Madrid 1-1 Athletic Club: The away side have equalised! Lekue created the opportunity, squaring for Sabin who takes a touch and fires home a strike from close range.
44’ BRILLIANT FROM BALE! The Welsh winger drives to the by-line and sends a pass fizzing right across the face of goal, but nobody in a white shirt could make the contact.
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Real Madrid's forward Alvaro Morata (L) celebrates a goal with Real Madrid's Welsh forward Gareth Bale during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and Athletic Club Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on October 23, 2016.
Image credit: AFP
78’ BALE SHOULD HAVE DONE BETTER! The Welsh winger was in behind the Athletic Bilbao defence, but he attempted to square for Ronaldo and the pass was too strong.
80’ SOMEHOW IT STAYS OUT! Lucas and Morata somehow manage to bungle a golden opportunity between them, with Athletic deflected their own clearance over their own bar.
83’ GOAL! Real Madrid 2-1 Athletic Club: The hosts take the lead in the final few minutes! Morata makes a darting run to the near post, sees his first shot saved but stabs home the rebound.
85’ HUGE MISTAKE BY VARANE! He was so complacent and allows Williams to intercept his back pass, but his chipped shot was saved by Navas. What was the centre back thinking?
90+4’ HE STILL CAN'T SCORE! Ronaldo was clean through on goal, he's been desperate for a goal all night... and yet Iraizoz makes the save from the Real Madrid number seven. The crowd jeers.
KEY STATS
Cristiano Ronaldo has now gone four home games without scoring for the first time in his Real Madrid career.
Alvaro Morata has scored more goals as a substitute than any other La Liga player this season (three).
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