First Division - Day 16

Real Madrid 10 – Rayo Vallecano 2

Madrid: Keylor Navas; Danilo, Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo (Lucas Vázquez 62‘); Modric, Kroos, James (Kovacic 65’); Bale (Arbeloa 74‘), Benzema, Ronaldo. 4-3-3.
Rayo: Yoel; Tito, Amaya, Zé Castro (Joni Montiel 80‘), Nacho; Trashorras, Raúl Baena; Lass (Bebé 63’), Jozabed Pablo Hernández (Quini 21’); Javi Guerra. 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
1-0. 03. Danilo. Picked up Bale pass and struck angled shot under Yoel.
1-1. 10. Amaya. Got above marker to head Trashorras corner down past Navas.
1-2. 12. Jozabed. Steered header past keeper after Pablo crossed from right.
2-2. 25. Bale. Ran in to head long Danilo cross down inside the far post.
3-2. 30. Ronaldo (penalty). After Baena pushed Sergio Ramos inside area.
4-2. 41. Bale. Ran on to James through ball and fired low shot wide of Yoel.
5-2. 48. Benzema. Controlled James pass and struck low shot past keeper.
6-2. 53. Ronaldo. Diving header inside the near post from James centre.
7-2. 61. Bale. Turned ball in from close up after Ronaldo crossed from right.
8-2. 70. Bale. Collected Benzema pass and ran on to shoot inside near post.
9-2. 79. Benzema. Picked up Modric pass and fired angled shot past Yoel.
10-2. 90. Benzema. Drove shot past keeper after Kovacic chested ball back.

Yellow cards: Trashorras 15’, Raúl Baena 19’, 28’, Nacho 27’, Danilo 72’ / red cards: tito 14’, Raúl Baena 28’.

Real Madrid closed to within two points of joint leaders Barcelona and Atlético after a massive 10-2 victory over neighbours Rayo Vallecano in the first game on Sunday afternoon. Danilo got the opener early on, but even so the visitors actually managed to overturn the scoreline, Amaya heading in a corner and Jozabed scoring a second with another header from a Pedro Hernández cross. At that point there were boos and whistles from the home fans, but then disaster struck for the visitors, Tito getting himself sent off with a two footed tackle on Kroos. Soon afterwards Bale launched himself forward to head in Danilo’s cross, and with half an hour gone Rayo found themselves down to nine after Raúl Baena picked up a second booking for pushing over Sergio Ramos in the area, Ronaldo converting the resulting penalty. Bale added a fourth before the break after James put him through, and at the start of the second half Benzema and Ronaldo made it five and six after two more James assists. The floodgates were open, Bale scoring two more to take his tally to four in the match, and Benzema also completed his hat-trick for Madrid’s highest scoreline in 55 years. With their Champions League win over Malmö that made it an amazing 18 goals now in their last two home games, but even so some fans were not happy, defeats against Barcelona and Villarreal, and the fiasco in the cup, still fresh in their minds. Benítez has not won them over just yet.