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As it happenedended1544904506

Real Madrid return to winning ways with slim victory over Rayo Vallecano

Real Madrid 1-0 Rayo Vallecano: Re-live the action from the Bernabeu 

Kieran Jackson
Friday 14 December 2018 16:57 GMT
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Karim Benzema scored the only goal of the game
Karim Benzema scored the only goal of the game (EPA)

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Head shot of Eric Garcia

Eric Garcia

Washington Bureau Chief

Real Madrid put the Champions League loss to CSKA Moscow behind them with a hard-earned 1-0 derby win over Rayo Vallecano at the Bernabeu.

Santiago Solari and his side had been jeered off after a 3-0 home defeat by the Russians in midweek, but produced the required result against their local rivals.

An early goal from Karim Benzema, who later went off injured, proved enough for victory, which moved Los Blancos up to third in the LaLiga table, two points off the top.

Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, though, had to make a smart double save in stoppage time to deny Rayo, who remain second bottom, a dramatic equaliser. Re-live the action below:

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Full time: That's it! No dramatic late equaliser for Rayo, but they came close. For Real, it's a win and they climb to third in La Liga. It was unspectacular and underwhelming, though, and did little to appease the expectant home fans.

Callum Rice-Coates15 December 2018 19:21

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