Benzema finally fires for Real in unconvincing opening win

Andy West 06:33 26/08/2014
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  • Pure relief: Karim Benzema celebrates after making it 1-0 a the Bernabeu.

    Real Madrid laboured to a far from convincing 2-0 victory over newly-promoted Cordoba as Karim Ben­zema slightly eased the pressure on his place in the team by breaking a long barren run and Cristiano Ron­aldo added a late second.

    It was a poor performance from Los Blancos, suggesting Carlo Ancelotti has plenty of work to do if his team are to return to the top of the La Liga pile.

    They actually started well, with the first chance coming when Gareth Bale wildly overhit an early free-kick from 25 yards, before Ronaldo had a strong penalty appeal waved away when he went down under a challenge from Cor­doba left back Jose Crespo as they contested a cross from Marcelo.

    Cordoba, back in the top flight after a gap of more than 40 years, then nearly thrilled the 4,000 travelling fans who had made the long journey north from Andalusia when nice approach play from Jose Maria Lopez Da Silva gave a shoot­ing chance to striker Mike Have­naar and his effort fizzed just past the far post.

    Real’s Liga debutant James Rod­riguez had been a peripheral figure as he settled into his new team, but following a half-cleared corner the Colombian produced a moment of quality with a deft chip into the stride of Sergio Ramos, volley was easily parried by Juan Carlos.

    Madrid’s other new boy, Toni Kroos, then tried his luck from the outside the area, forcing Carlos into a low save to his left, and it was starting to look a matter of time until the hosts took the lead.

    And so it proved, with a series of right-wing corners resulting in Kroos’ delivery being met by a thumping header from Benzema.

    More goals were soon threatened as James sent a shot straight at Car­los, but Cordoba sent a reminder that the game was still alive shortly before half-time when Havenaar headed narrowly wide from a left-wing corner.

    Powerful striker Havenaar was proving a handful for Ramos and Pepe and Cordoba won two more corners early in the second half, and winger Ryder Matos weaved inside to force a comfortable save from Casillas as Madrid’s slow start to the second period continued, prompting some angry touchline gesticulations from Ancelotti.

    The hosts finally burst into life on the hour when James pounced upon a loose ball at the far post and forced a strong parry from Carlos with a fierce half-volley, but the home team were unable to find any fluency and another Cordoba allowed to threaten as Aleksander Pantic hooked an acrobatic volley over the bar.

    Cordoba then came even closer to a shock leveller when substitute Xisco was rightly flagged offside after turning home the loose ball when Casillas could only parry Febe Cartabia’s low drive.

    The game was still in the balance, in fact, until the very last minute, when Ronaldo finally found some space and arrowed a low long-range strike into the bottom left corner.

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