First Division - Day 18

Valencia 2 - Real Madrid 2

Valencia: Jaume Domenech; Barragán, Aderlan Santos, Abdennour, Lucas Orbán (Rodrigo 80‘); Dani Parejo (Negredo 84’), Danilo Barbosa; Cancelo, De Paul (Javi Fuego 87‘), André Gomes, Paco Alcácer. 4-2-3-1.
Madrid: Keylor Navas; Danilo, Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo; Modric, Kroos, Kovacic; Bale, Benzema (Lucas Vázquez 67‘), Ronaldo. 4-3-3.

Goals:
0-1. 17. Benzema. Fired shot past Domenech after Ronaldo played on Bale pass.
1-1. 45. Dani Parejo (penalty). After Pepe brought down Andre Gomes in area.
1-2. 82. Bale. Looped header inside Jaume’s far post from wide Kroos free kick.
2-2. 83. Alcácer. Header past Navas after Rodrigo headed back De Paul cross.

Yellow cards: Pepe 44’, Barragán 57’ / red cards: Kovacic 68’.

Real Madrid missed out on a chance to close up on arch-rivals Barcelona after they were held to a 2-2 draw at Valencia in the last match on Sunday night. Benzema combined with Bale and Ronaldo to open the scoring on the quarter hour mark, and the visitors had two penalty appeals turned down, the first for a possible hand ball by Abdennour, and the second after Bale was tripped by Orbán. Navas had to save from Alcácer and Cancelo though, and with the first half coming to a close the referee awarded a penalty to the home side after Pepe brought down André Gomes, Dani Parejo converting the resulting spot kick. Bale and Ronaldo went close after the restart, and Navas had to fist away a long shot from Gomes, but midway through the second half Madrid were left with ten men when Kovacic was sent off for a hard tackle on Cancelo. Bale still restored the lead for them though with an angled header from a wide Kroos free kick, but just a minute later Paco Alcácer levelled the scores once again, the striker steering a header past Navas after Rodrigo headed back De Paul’s cross. That set up a frenetic finish, Navas saving from Negredo when free on goal, and Bale blasting a shot wide of the target at the other end. Not the result either coach wanted, Benítez in trouble after dropping four points behind leaders Atlético, and Gary Neville yet to record a win in five games, but a draw was probably a fair scoreline in the end.

P.S. The big news the following day was the firing of Rafa Benítez by Real Madrid after only six months in charge. B team coach Zinedine Zidane will be his replacement at the Bernabeu stadium.