Deportivo La Coruña 1-3 Real Madrid

Real Madrid demonstrated just how title-hungry they are on Saturday with an historic victory at Riazor Stadium. The eight unavailable players served as added stimuli for the Madridista starting eleven, which included eight Spaniards. Granero notched the first goal of the night and Benzema fired home the second two, the first following a heel flick by Guti. Riki, a former Merengue youth teamer, scored Deportivo’s only goal of the evening from the penalty spot with five minutes remaining, by which time it was too late. Real Madrid broke the 19-year curse at the Riazor.

Real Madrid couldn’t pass on the opportunity to win in La Coruña, and it reflected on the faces of Manuel Pellegrini’s starting eleven. Casillas started in goal and was protected by Arbeloa, Albiol, Ramos and Marcelo. Guti, Granero, Xabi Alonso and Kaka got the nod in the midfield and were supported in attack by Raul and Benzema.

Deportivo gave Madrid plenty of room to work with in the early going and granted the Whites possession of the ball. It was easy to understand why the visitors had the first scoring opportunities, all of which were long range shots. First by Xabi Alonso (5’), followed by Benzema (6’) and Guti (7’). The hosts, meanwhile, relied on long crosses that never found their targets.

The pressure on the final third by the Whites paid off following a corner kick that at first appeared unsuccessful. Kaka passed to Guti and the ball wound up being struck four times by players’ heads before Granero pushed it into the back of this net with a header of his own (13’).

With the game well in control, Real Madrid continued the onslaught and had as many as seven chances on goal, two of which belonged to Raul. The captain was unable to get a toe to a low cross by Benzema (19’) and was then stymied by a brilliant Aranzubia save (21’). Then on a near-perfect counterattack, Kaka found Guti, who magically heel flicked the ball back to Benzema and the Frenchman struck gold to put the Whites up by two (40’).

The second half began the same way the first ended and Real Madrid continued boasting of golden opportunities. Kaka had two but was unable to beat Aranzubia either time (47’ & 54’). Riki, who rose through the ranks of the Real Madrid academy, cut the lead to one by converting a penalty after Ramos committed a foul in the box (85’), but it was too little too late for Deportivo. Real Madrid managed to hold on and in added time put the nail in the coffin as Benzema finished off an assist by Arbeloa (91’).

Lineups:

Deportivo: Aranzubia, Laure, Colotto, Lopo, Manuel Pablo, Juca (Bodipo 84′), Antonio Tomás, Juan Rodríguez, Pablo Álvarez (Riki 75′), Valerón (Iván Pérez 55′), Adrián;

Real Madrid: Casillas, Arbeloa, Sergio Ramos, Albiol, Marcelo, Xabi Alonso, Granero, Guti, Kaká, Benzema, Raúl (Drenthe 79′);

Goals:

0-1, 13′: Granero;

0-2, 40′: Benzema;

1-2, 87′: Riki;

1-3, 91′: Benzema;