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Karim Benzema scored the winning goal as Real Madrid beat 10-man Athletic Bilbao 3-1 and tied on points at the top of La Liga with Real Sociedad and Atlético de Madrid on Tuesday night.
Real Madrid had just won a great 2-0 victory over city rival Atleti on Saturday, which placed Zinedine Zidane’s team in third place in La Liga, three points behind the league leaders of Diego Simeone. The whites they remain in third place due to goal difference.
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The visitors stayed to play most of the game with just 10 players after Raúl García was sent off after being shown his second yellow card in the first 13 minutes for a pair of fouls.
Zidane’s team took firm control in the later stages of the first half and finally paid off just before the break with an exquisite goal from Toni Kroos to give Real a 1-0 lead after the first 45 minutes.
Bilbao, who had been dangerous at times in the first half, tied the score shortly after the break when Thibaut Courtois hit a close-range shot from Ander Capa on his way and the Athletic man retired the rebound.
Real Madrid’s top scorer, Benzema, sent the hosts ahead in the 74th minute with a good header that left Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Unai Simon with no chances.
Courtois made a great save down the stretch to keep Real ahead and Benzema added his second immediately after on the counter to seal the three points for the defending champions Spain.
