Real stunned by last gasp header
Spanish giants fail to score 1st time in 74 games
Antonio Sanabria struck deep into stoppage time to hand Real Betis a shock 1-0 win away to Real Madrid on Wednesday as the European champions failed to score for the first time in 74 matches.
Defeat leaves Real already seven points adrift of leaders Barcelona just five games into their defense of La Liga having failed to win in all three home games so far this season.
Even the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo on his return from a fivematch domestic ban couldn’t break Betis’ resistance as former Real goalkeeper Antonio Adan produced stunning saves from Isco, Toni Kroos and Gareth Bale.
And Betis snatched all three points in the 93rd minute when Sanabria powered home a header from Antonio Barragan’s cross.
“Last year we won games we didn’t deserve to and now it is the reverse,” said Real coach Zinedine Zidane.
This is the first time Betis have won at the Bernabeu since 1998.
“It is impossible to win here without suffering,” said Betis boss Quique Setien. Ronaldo was recalled among three changes to the Madrid side from Sunday’s 3-1 win at Real Sociedad as Zidane named his strongest available side. However, it was the visitors who
made the stronger start and should have gone in front when Sanabria’s goalbound effort was cleared off the line by Dani Carvajal.
Keylor Navas also produced a stunning save to tip Fabian Ruiz’s rising drive over the bar.
At the other end, Adan made a smart stop to deny Isco just before halftime and Betis had to resist an onslaught after the break.
Ronaldo blazed wildly over from Bale’s inch-perfect cross before Kroos forced Adan into another finger-tip stop.
The former Madrid goalkeeper’s finest moment, though, came in denying Bale in spectacular fashion 15 minutes from time as the Welshman’s backheeled volley was turned onto the post.
Betis were the side to finally have the ball in the net as the game entered five minutes of stoppage time, but Sanabria had strayed offside as he turned home Andres Guardado’s shot. However, they broke with purpose once more, minutes later, and this time Sanabria wasn’t to be denied as he bulleted a header into the far corner from Antonio Barragan’s cross.
Earlier, Atletico Madrid celebrated being awarded the honor of hosting the Champions League final in 2019 with an impressive 2-1 win at Athletic Bilbao to move up to third.
The visitors needed to rely on a brilliant penalty save from Jan Oblak to deny Aritz Aduriz just before halftime.
Angel Correa opened the scoring 10 minutes into the second half by finishing off a flowing move involving Antoine Griezmann and Saul Niguez. And Yannick Carrasco secured the three points with an angled finish from another Griezmann through ball 17 minutes from time, before Raul Garcia netted a late consolation for the hosts.
UEFA awarded their showpiece event for next season to Atletico’s new Wanda Metropolitano earlier in the day.
Sevilla moved into second, two points behind Barca, as Jesus Navas scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win over Las Palmas.
Alaves remain without a point or even a goal after five games as Luisinho’s winner handed Deportivo la Coruna a 1-0 win for their first victory of the season.