sports news-Bale scores free-kick in Real Madrid win
Spanish leaders Real Madrid returned to winning ways with a routine home victory over Espanyol, despite playing for almost 40 minutes with 10 men.
Following back-to-back defeats against Valencia and Atletico Madrid,Real responded quickly as £70m signing James Rodriguez stroked in from 15 yards.
Gareth Bale curled in a 20-yard free-kick, off the post, to double the lead.
Left-back Fabio Coentrao was sent off for a sliding tackle but it mattered little as Nacho slotted in the third.
Carlo Ancelotti's side are four points clear of nearest rivals Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, with at least one of those sides poised to drop points when they meet in Catalonia on Sunday.
Real, who will have played a match fewer than their title rivals after the Nou Camp clash, have taken control of La Liga on the back of 12 successive wins.
Last Sunday's 2-1 defeat at fourth-placed Valencia ended their Spanish record run of 22 victories in all competitions, before they tumbled to another loss at neighbours Atletico in the Copa del Rey.
However, Italian boss Ancelotti insisted there was no cause for concern - and so it proved against mid-table Espanyol.
Rodriguez finished a classy move which saw Cristiano Ronaldo instantly pull back Bale's sublime cross-field pass into the Colombia midfielder's path.
Espanyol keeper Kiko Casilla was rooted to his spot as Bale whipped in the second, before Portugal defender Coentrao was harshly shown a red card after lunging into a 50-50 tackle.
But Espanyol could not take advantage of their extra man, with Spain defender Nacho drilling in Alvaro Arbeloa's left-wing cross at the far post for the third.
LINEUP, BOOKINGS (6) & SUBSTITUTIONS (6)
Real Madrid
- 01 Casillas
- 17 Arbeloa
- 03 Pepe
- 02 Varane
- 05 Fábio Coentrão Dismissed
- 23 Isco
- 08 Kroos (Khedira - 81' )
- 10 Rodríguez (Nacho - 54' )
- 11 Bale
- 09 Benzema (Illarramendi - 63' )
- 07 Ronaldo Booked
Substitutes
- 06 Khedira
- 12 Marcelo
- 13 Navas
- 14 Hernández
- 18 Nacho
- 20 Jesé
- 24 Illarramendi
Espanyol
- 13 Casilla Cortés
- 23 Arbilla Booked
- 19 Colotto
- 22 González Soberón
- 18 Fuentes Hernández Booked
- 04 Sánchez Mata Booked (Luque Conde - 62' )
- 28 Jordán Moreno (Stuani - 68' )
- 14 Cañas
- 24 Montañés Claverías Booked
- 09 García de la Fuente (González Casanova - 82' )
- 20 Caicedo
Substitutes
- 07 Fernández Iglesias
- 08 Stuani
- 10 González Casanova
- 15 Moreno
- 16 López Rodríguez
- 25 López Sabata
- 32 Luque Conde
Ref: David Fernández Borbalán
Att: 69,600
Live Text Commentary
Full time
Full TimeMatch ends, Real Madrid 3, Espanyol 0.
90:00+2:07Full time
Full TimeSecond Half ends, Real Madrid 3, Espanyol 0.
90:00+1:42
Álvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90:00+1:42
Foul by Christian Stuani (Espanyol).
90:00+0:57
Foul by Nacho (Real Madrid).
90:00+0:57
Luque (Espanyol) wins a free kick on the left wing.
89:30
Attempt missed. Felipe Caicedo (Espanyol) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Abraham.
89:05
Foul by Sami Khedira (Real Madrid).
89:05
Álvaro González (Espanyol) wins a free kick on the left wing.
87:22
Hand ball by Felipe Caicedo (Espanyol).
86:56
Asier Illarramendi (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
86:56
Foul by Felipe Caicedo (Espanyol).
86:13
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
86:13
Foul by Fuentes (Espanyol).
84:58
Offside, Real Madrid. Cristiano Ronaldo tries a through ball, but Gareth Bale is caught offside.
81:20
Attempt missed. Asier Illarramendi (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left following a corner.
81:07Substitution
SubstitutionSubstitution, Espanyol. Abraham replaces Sergio García.
80:42Substitution
SubstitutionSubstitution, Real Madrid. Sami Khedira replaces Toni Kroos.
80:12
Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Kiko Casilla.
80:09
Attempt saved. Isco (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Gareth Bale.
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