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A late goal from Karim Benzema gave Real Madrid a 1-1 draw against neighboring Atlético de Madrid on Sunday to keep their title hopes alive.
Benzema scored two minutes from time at the end of a match Atlético had controlled for 75 minutes, before deciding to attempt to defend a 1-0 lead in the final 15 minutes.
The result keeps Real Madrid five points behind Atlético, who play their home game against Athletic Bilbao next week.
Unsurprisingly, Karim Benzema returned after an injury for Real Madrid, while there was also a quick return from Kieran Trippier as Atlético’s right-back after a 10-week suspension on suspension.
Atlético began by imposing their rhythm on the game, winning the ball and moving it fast, and opened the scoring in the 14th minute after Marcos Llorente turned Nacho and ran 40 meters into space before a perfectly weighted pass allowed Luis Suárez finish off a five- Game goal drought with a perfect shot with the outside of his foot.
Benzema couldn’t get enough with a header at the other end, but Atlético dictated the game with a Suarez cross dodging Yannick Carrasco, before Casemiro’s long-range shot was blocked by Jan Oblak.
Suarez had another effort blocked by Thibaut Courtois as Atlético launched another quick counterattack, before the half ended in controversy when Real Madrid had a penalty appeal rejected by referee Alejandro Hernández. The ball brushed against the defender’s arm after a corner kick, but after looking at the television images the referee decided not to award a penalty.
The second half started with little change in intensity and Courtois denied Carrasco again before Llorente fumbled over the crossbar.
Suarez saw another well-saved effort, while Ángel Correa couldn’t connect after a good job from Trippier as Atlético continued to create chances.
Real Madrid were creating very little in attack as Atlético closed spaces time and time again, but substitute Fede Valverde stung Oblak’s hands from distance with 20 minutes to go.
The Atlético goalkeeper made a spectacular double save to defeat Benzema after a Vinicius Jr counterattack after Correa unnecessarily lost the ball. Oblak was back in his prime a minute later to stop a free kick from Benzema on the full stretch as Atlético began to sit deeper and deeper.
Diego Simeone’s team paid to sit too deep with two minutes remaining when Benzema exchanged passes with Casemiro and got into an empty net. It’s not the first time that Simeone paid the price for his defensive instincts.
