Spanish La Liga
Result: Getafe 1-2 Real Madrid
Date: 14 October 2017
Venue: Estadio Coliseum Alfonso Pérez
A late Cristiano Ronaldo winner gave Real Madrid a crucial 2-1 win over Getafe at Estadio Coliseum Alfonso Pérez on Saturday.
Real dominated the first half from the first whistle, but Getafe did well to frustrate them for much of it.
10 minutes in, Ronaldo went close to breaking the deadlock after having been set up by Karim Benzema, drilling a shot at goal. However, Vicente Guaita made a fine save to deny him.
The visitors continued to bomb forward, but Getafe set up to keep them out at all costs — committing several fouls in the process. The hosts were perhaps lucky that their first yellow card only came in the 34th minute for a cynical Mauro Arambarri challenge on Marco Asensio.
Five minutes later, Real finally broke the deadlock. The visitors capitalised on a woeful free-kick, working the ball out wide to Benzema, who glided through the defence before slotting the ball into the far left corner of the net.
Los Blancos went into the break with a 1-0 lead and looking relatively comfortable.
Guaita was called into action again in the 53rd minute as Marcelo fired a blistering shot at him following a scrappy piece of play in the box, but the keeper was alert to the danger and made another fine save.
In the 56th minute, the game turned on its head as Jorge Molina got on the end of a low ball from the right and diverted it into the net. Getafe were level against the run of play.
Having been overrun for most of the first half, Getafe suddenly looked a match for Real and the visitors struggled to create any clear chances to go back in front.
In the 73rd minute, they did create an opportunity, but astonishingly, Ronaldo missed a tap-in at the far post.
However, Ronaldo made up for it 12 minutes later, slotting the ball into the far corner of the net on the half-volley with inch-perfect precision after receiving a lovely pass from Isco.
That proved to be the winner as Los Blancos hung on for an unconvincing win.
