Eden Hazard finally registered his first goal for Real Madrid, who cemented top spot in LaLiga with a 4-2 victory over high-flying Granada on Saturday.
LaLiga
Result: Real Madrid 4-2 Granada
Date: 05 October 2019
Venue: Santiago Bernabeu
Click through the gallery to see action from Real's victory over Granada.
Los Blancos manager, Zinedine Zidane made four changes from their 2-2 draw with Club Brugge in the UEFA Champions League, with Gareth Bale and goalkeeper Alphonse Areola among the alterations, while shot-stopper Thibaut Courtois was not included in the match-day squad due to illness. Madrid had a flying start as Karim Benzema grabbed the lead for the hosts in only the second minute with a close range finish at the back-post, following a quick cross from Bale with the outside of his foot. Zidane's men should have been 2-0 up in the 26th minute after a quick counter-attack saw Benzema release Daniel Carvajal clear on goal but Granada shot-stopper Rui Silva kept Granada in the game with a crucial save in a one-on-one situation. Madrid nevertheless got their second goal in first-half stoppage time after Eden Hazard sent a shot over Silva aafter going through inside the box for his first official goal for the club. The game was heating up early in the second stanza as Luka Modric gave Madrid three-goal lead in the 61st minute with a sensational strike from 25-yards out that sailed intothe top corner, after being teed up by Hazard. Granada were offered a lifeline with 22 minutes remaining, with a penalty awarded in their favour after Areola brought down Darwin Machis, who stepped up and pulled goal back for the visitors from the spot-kick. The visitors pulled another goal back 12 minutes before time after Domingos Duarte bundled the ball over the line following a goal-mouth scramble in However, nerves were settled in second-half stoppage time as substitute James Rodriguez eventually put the game to bed with the fourth goal with a sliced finish from close range to seal top spot.
