MADRID: Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane hailed his side’s character to hold off an Athletic Bilbao onslaught as Casemiro proved their unlikely hero in a vital 2-1 win on Saturday.
The Brazilian midfielder slotted home from close range 22 minutes from time to move Madrid five points clear of Barcelona at the top of La Liga.
“We were made to suffer a lot, but at the same time we played with a lot of character,” said Zidane.
“It was a hugely important game to win and continue with our good run.”
Karim Benzema fired the visitors into a half-time lead from Cristiano Ronaldo’s cross before Aritz Aduriz briefly levelled for Athletic.
Barcelona can cut the gap back to two points when they face Valencia at the Camp Nou on Sunday.
Defeat ends Athletic’s 19-game unbeaten run at home as they remain four points off the European places in seventh.
“We clearly dominated the game,” Aduriz told BeIN Sports Spain.
“We surrounded their box, perhaps without creating clear-cut chances, but they had two chances and scored two goals.”
Madrid settled after a bright first 10 minutes from Athletic and had the ball in the net in their first serious attack only to be denied by the offside flag.
Dani Carvajal timed his run to meet Benzema’s through ball but he squared to Ronaldo when going for goal would have been the better option, and the World Player of the Year’s tap-in was ruled out.
Six minutes later Ronaldo was denied again, this time by a stunning save from Kepa Arrizabalaga as the young goalkeeper leapt low to his left to turn the ball to safety.
Sergio Ramos should have continued his remarkable goalscoring streak when he then headed wide when unmarked from a Toni Kroos free-kick.
Madrid finally made the breakthrough on 25 minutes as Casemiro’s ball over the top for Ronaldo broke Athletic’s offside trap and the Portuguese produced an inch-perfect low cross for Benzema to slot home his sixth goal in as many games against Athletic.
Real continued to threaten on the counter-attack as Arrizabalaga was called into action once more to save Gareth Bale’s drive from the edge of the area.
However, the visitors had to withstand an aerial bombardment at the start of the second half.
A mix-up between Keylor Navas and Ramos nearly saw the latter turn a loose ball into his own net.
Navas then made amends for a serious of high-profile errors in recent weeks with a fine save when one-on-one with Inaki Williams.
The pace of Williams down the right was a constant threat for Athletic and he finally got his reward 25 minutes from time when his cross was headed back across goal by Raul Garcia and nodded in from close range by Aduriz.
The lead lasted just three minutes, though, as for the umpteenth time this season, Madrid found a winner from a corner.
Kroos’s delivery was flicked on by Ronaldo and midfielder Casemiro was completely alone inside the six-yard box to slot home from close range.
Marcelo should have put the game to bed 18 minutes from time when be blasted over from point-blank range after a brilliant team move involving Benzema and Ronaldo.
Ronaldo was surprisingly replaced by Isco 12 minutes from time, but Zidane’s decision was vindicated as Real held out to take a huge step toward a first La Liga title in five years.
Casemiro sends ‘suffering’ Madrid five points clear
Casemiro sends ‘suffering’ Madrid five points clear
Owen Edwards surges into share of lead with stunning 63 at Madinaty
- Welshman joins overnight leader Juan Salama on 12 under, setting up final-round showdown at the Egypt Golf Series event
CAIRO: Welshman Owen Edwards fired a 7-under-par 63 on Wednesday to join overnight leader Juan Salama on 12-under at the top of the leaderboard heading into Thursday’s third and final round of the Egypt Golf Series event at Madinaty.
Edwards, who began the day seven shots behind Salama, produced the round of the day at Madinaty Golf Club in Cairo to set up a thrilling conclusion to the finale of the two-week, four-event series. He was steady through the opening stretch before catching fire on his back nine (the front nine on the scorecard), where he picked up six birdies to storm into contention.
“It was a bit of a tale of two halves,” said Edwards. “We went out early at 7:30 a.m., so it was dewy and colder to start and I wasn’t quite feeling it. But then momentum kicked in and I hit some really good shots when it mattered.
“The key moment was probably the second hole; it was tricky, with the wind pushing toward the water, for me as a lefty but I hit a 7-iron to 4 feet and that really got things going.
“Playing four events in a row has helped massively. Back home it’s hard to get competitive rounds, so to come out here and get 12 proper tournament rounds makes a huge difference and gives you confidence that you’re ready for the next part of the season.
“The prize funds and opportunities on the MENA Golf Tour are unbelievable; it’s proper competition and a great experience.”
Salama, who set a course record with a sensational 60 in the opening round, showed resilience on day two to card a 2-under 68 despite a shaky spell mid-round. Back-to-back bogeys at the first and second (his 10th and 11th holes of the day) threatened to undo his good work, but the Spaniard responded with three birdies over the last seven holes to maintain a share of the lead.
“It was definitely a different day today and it wasn’t easy coming back after shooting so low yesterday,” Salama said. “I knew everything happened for a reason, so I expected it to be tougher. The magic was still there but I just couldn’t hole the putts I made yesterday or leave it quite as close. Still, I think 2 under par is a good score today and it gives me a chance going into tomorrow.”
The winner of last week’s Egypt Golf Series event at Al-Marassi Golf Club in El-Alamein, Jack Davidson, kept himself firmly in the hunt with a bogey-free round of 66 to sit in third place, two shots back on 10-under. He will join Salama and Edwards in the final group to tee off on Thursday.
“Playing again with Jack is amazing, and to be alongside one of the best players on the MENA Golf Tour is something really special for me and I’m going to fight as hard as I can,” Salama said.
Argentina’s Gaston Bertinotti is on his own in fourth place on the leaderboard on 9-under after a 66 on Wednesday, with Italy’s Ludovico Addabbo and England’s Oliver Sullivan sharing fifth at 8-under. Sullivan’s round of 65 was a story of extremes: seven birdies offset by a double bogey at the par-3 15th.
Addabbo’s position on the leaderboard is significant in the context of the MENA Golf Tour Rankings; with top-ranked Chris Wood absent this week as he competes at the Qatar Masters, a strong finish could see the Italian close the gap on him at the top of the standings.
Jordan Wrisdale and Ben Jones, both from England, share seventh place at 7 under, alongside Ireland's Alex Maguire, who birdied the last hole on Wednesday as he recorded a round of 66.
