MADRID: Real Madrid warmed up for their Champions League semi-final first-leg with Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Real Betis at the Santiago Bernabeu.
After a slow opening by the hosts they went ahead just before half-time when Mesut Ozil latched onto Karim Benzema’s through ball to slot home at the near post.
Benzema then made it two in similar fashion as he took advantage of Cristiano Ronaldo’s pass to beat Betis keeper Adrian, but Jorge Molina’s penalty halved the deficit for the visitors after Ruben Castro had been brought down by Nacho.
Castro then came within inches of stealing a draw for Betis as he hit the bar two minutes from time before Ozil settled Madrid’s nerves with a third goal in stoppage time.
It was Betis though who could easily have found themselves in front moments later as an acrobatic effort from Joel Campbell flew just past the post before Castro headed over from close range.
Both sides then struck the woodwork as the game came to life towards half-time as Ronaldo fired a left footed shot from 25 yards off the post before Dorlan Pabon volleyed Benat’s cut-back off the top of the bar for the visitors.
The opening goal did arrive before the break though as a neat one-two between Benzema and Ozil freed the German inside the area to slot home his seventh league goal of the season.
Benzema then doubled his side’s advantage 12 minutes into the second period at the end of a typically rapid Madrid counter-attack as he raced onto Ronaldo’s pass to again beat Adrian at his near post.
However, Betis were handed a lifeline 22 minutes from time when Nacho chopped down Castro inside the area and Jorge Molina just sneaked his penalty past Diego Lopez despite the keeper getting a hand to it.
The goal infused Betis with belief and Castro very nearly snatched a point two minutes from the end.
And having survived that scare Madrid went swiftly up the other end and sealed all three points as Ozil prodded home Callejon’s driven cross from barely a yard. AFP
