Real Madrid vs Legia Warsaw. UEFA Champions League Group F.
Santiago BernabeuAttendance70,251.
Tuesday 18 October 2016 23:21, UK
Real Madrid remain second in Champions League Group F after a thrilling 5-1 win over a spirited Legia Warsaw at the Bernabeu on Tuesday.
First-half goals from Gareth Bale, a Tomasz Jodlowiec own goal and Marco Asensio put Real in control despite Miroslav Radovic's 22nd-minute penalty threatening to spark a fightback for the away side.
Substitutes Lucas Vazquez and Alvaro Morata put the game beyond doubt in the second half as Zinedine Zidane's side cruised to victory.
The result means Real Madrid are level with Borussia Dortmund on seven points, while Legia remain rooted to the bottom of the table with no points from their opening three matches.
No Polish side has won on Spanish soil in seven attempts, but Leiga Warsaw gave a good account of themselves during an explosive opening to this game.
Keylor Navas saved smartly from Jodlowiec after nine minutes and Vadis Odjidja struck the base of the post before Bale opened the scoring.
The Welshman collected the ball on the right and teased full-back Adam Hlousek, who was unwilling to make a challenge, allowing Bale to cut inside on his left foot and strike firmly across the goalkeeper and inside the far post.
Real doubled their lead four minutes later in fortunate circumstances as Karim Benzema fed Marcelo on the edge of the area and his shot, which appeared to be heading wide, was deflected cruelly past the helpless Arkadiusz Malarz by Jodlowiec.
But Legia were back in the game just two minutes later when Danilo carelessly lunged at Radovic inside the area and the lone striker picked himself up to send Navas the wrong way from the penalty spot.
Michal Kucharczyk spurned a great chance to equalise after Bale gave the ball away inside the area and he was made to pay as Asensio made it 3-1 eight minutes before the break.
Danilo broke down the right and crossed for Cristiano Ronaldo inside the area, who controlled and flicked the ball back for his oncoming team-mate to strike firmly past the wrong-footed Malarz.
The goalkeeper made a good save from Benzema early in the second half, but Real Madrid had to wait until the 68th minute for their fourth.
Two substitutes combined as Morata skipped down the left and sent over a delightful cross to the back post for Lucas to smash a crisp right-footed volley under the goalkeeper.
Ronaldo, who remains two short of 100 European goals, showed great skill to set up Real's fifth, playing in Morata to take a touch and strike low under Malarz at the front post.
That sealed a dominant scoreline for Real Madrid ahead of the return meeting in Warsaw on Wednesday November 2 and despite the result, the Poles will take heart from a determined display in Madrid.
