Substitute Bale returns to help Real progress in King's Cup

Real won 4-2 on aggregate and Bale's cameo performance was one of few bright spots on a nervy evening for the hosts at the Santiago Bernabeu during which the Liga and European champions were in serious danger of being forced to play extra time.

Substitute Bale returns to help Real progress in King's Cup

(Reuters)

Welsh international Bale brought badly needed quality to Zinedine Zidane's struggling side with a substitute appearance after 63 days out with injuries and had an instant impact.

With Real behind on the night after conceding an early goal, Bale picked up the ball after coming on to a smattering of applause and curled over a cross for Mayoral to head an equaliser in the 63rd minute which effectively ended the tie.

Bale also made Real's second goal, skipping into the area to force goalkeeper Pol Freixanet to parry and Mayoral picked up the loose ball to score again and put Real in front.

Fuenlabrada kept fighting, and substitute Alvaro Portilla salvaged a draw in the 89th, punishing some chaotic defending.

The visiting minnows from the suburbs of the Spanish capital had taken a surprise yet deserved lead through midfielder Luis Milla in the 25th minute with a stinging long-range shot which flummoxed home goalkeeper Keylor Navas.

Zidane again fielded a largely reserve team as he did in the 2-0 first-leg win but they were more than matched by Fuenlabrada, whose defender Cata Diaz had almost levelled the tie when his header hit the bar in the second half.

(Reporting by Richard Martin; Editing by Ken Ferris)


Share

2 min read

Published

Source: Reuters



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world