Bale takes Real to last 16
Madrid, Nov. 29: Gareth Bale needed only a few minutes to help Real Madrid secure a spot in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey on Tuesday.
Bale came off the bench after a long injury layoff to set up two goals and help Madrid’s reserves secure a 2- 2 draw against third- division Fuenlabrada at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
Madrid, which was without Cristiano Ronaldo and many other regular starters, advanced 4- 2 on aggregate after having won the first leg 2- 0 last month.
“What was important was to advance to the next round, and we did,” Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said.
The hosts struggled early and Fuenlabrada had most of the opportunities, opening the scoring with a long- range strike by Luis Milla in the 25th minute that Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas should probably have stopped.
Navas appeared slow to react and despite getting his hand to the shot, the ball hit the crossbar and ricocheted off his body before crossing the goal line. It wasn’t clear if the shot was deflected by a defender before going in.
“There were a lot of players in front of the goal,” Milla said adding: “Now I can tell everyone that I’ve scored a goal at the Bernabeu.”
Navas was also returning from injury and hadn’t played in more than a month, since a 1- 1 draw against Tottenham in the group stage of the Champions League.
Madrid got back on track only after Bale, who hadn’t played in more than two months because of muscle injuries, entered the match in the 62nd minute. AP