Real Madrid 2-1 Vallecano: Los Blancos reach top thanks Benzema & Kroos goal

Toni Kroos and Karim Benzema scored as Real Madrid secured a 2-1 victory against Rayo Vallecano.

Match Report

Carlo Ancelotti made two changes from the team that downed Shakhtar Donetsk in midweek, with Eduardo Camavinga and Marco Asensio in for a fever-ridden Luka Modric and Lucas Vazquez, respectively.

VAR was called on early in this one and, after the dust settled, Real Madrid had a 1-0 lead. Initially Vinicius had been ruled offside when he was played a header from Kroos as part of a counter attack that ultimately ended with Kroos banging in a pass from Asensio, however the play went to VAR and the call was reversed to a goal.

Real Madrid remained in control and soon enough doubled their lead to 2-0 when David Alaba sent in a cross that Benzema got on the end of and guided into net for the goal.

Benzema should have had a second goal in as many minutes when Stole Dimitrievski had to parry a hard hit from Vinicius, with the rebound going straight to Benzema, who instead headed over the crossbar.

Real Madrid showed no signs of letting up and only a goal line clearance prevented Vinicius from making it three. Dimitrievski was also called on to make a stop from Asensio after he had collected a pass from Kroos and split the central defenders, followed by another Benzema miss after back-to-back back-heels from Vinicius and Mendy.

Rayo needed a spark in attack, so former Atletico Madrid man Radamel Falcao was summoned from the bench, but it was Bebe who had Rayo's first chance at a goal when he hammered a shot off the post with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois beat.

Falcao would make his presence felt, though, and a header by the Colombian veteran off a floated cross from Alvaro Garcia pulled Rayo to within 2-1.

Moments after his score, though, Falcao sustained an injury and was forced off, while Ancelotti turned to Eden Hazard and Lucas Vazquez off the bench for Benzema and Asensio.

Real Madrid were unnerved by the Rayo goal and the visitors from Vallecas were the ones closest to finding another score in the late going and it took a last-gasp goal line clearance from Kroos in stoppage time to keep Oscar Valentin from equalising, sparing Los Blancos from a similar collapse to that suffered by rivals Barcelona earlier in the day.

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

5' OFFSIDE! Vinicius' goal disallowed

13' GOAL! Real Madrid 1-0 Vallecano (Kroos)

28' Yellow Card! Kroos booked

37' GOAL! Real Madrid 2-0 Vallecano (Benzema)

40' Vinicius' shot saved and Benzema's header over the bar

51' NICE TRY! Vinicius' shot blocked

61' CLOSE! Benzema's shot wide out

76' GOAL! Real Madrid 2-1 Vallecano (Falcao)

Line-ups

Real Madrid XI: Benzema, Kroos, Alaba, Courtois, Casemiro, Carvajal, F Mendy, Asensio, Militao, Vinicius, E. Camavinga

Subs: Marcelo, Hazard, Isco, Nacho, Vazquez, Jovic, Vallejo, A. Lunin, Antonio Blanco, Miguel Gutiérrez, Toni Fuidias

Vallecano XI: Ó. Trejo, S. Dimitrievski, Balliu, E. Saveljich, Álvaro García, Óscar Valentín, Isi Palazón, Santi Comesaña, Fran García, Catena, R. Nteka

Subs: Mario Suárez, Falcao, Bebé, Sergi Guardiola, José Pozo, Rodrigues, Unai López, N. Maraš, L. Zidane, P. Ciss, Andrés Martín, Mario Hernández