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Villarreal hold Real Madrid, halt their record march
MADRID: Real Madrid’s record-equalling 16-game La Liga win streak came to an end as Villarreal held out for a 1-1 draw at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.
MADRID: Real Madrid’s record-equalling 16-game La Liga win streak came to an end as Villarreal held out for a 1-1 draw at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.
The European champions were looking to surpass the Liga mark of 16 wins first set by Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona in 2010-11, but were made to pay for a sluggish first-half display.
Villarreal captain Bruno Soriano put the visitors in front from the penalty spot just before half-time before Sergio Ramos levelled after the break.
And despite a surge of late pressure, Madrid couldn’t find a winner as the returning Gareth Bale was substituted and Cristiano Ronaldo frustrated by the heroics of Villarreal keeper Sergio Asenjo.
Ronaldo and Bale returned to the Madrid side that won 2-0 at Espanyol on Sunday to set a club record with their 16th straight La Liga win.
However, it was Villarreal who enjoyed the better chances of the opening period. Denis Cheryshev, a summer signing from Madrid, was unlucky not to give the visitors the lead when his rising drive was turned over by Kiko Casilla.
Villarreal got their reward just before half-time when Ramos handled Manu Trigueros’s shot and referee Jose Luis Gonzalez pointed to the spot.
Captain Bruno stepped up and coolly chipped the ball down the middle of the goal past Casilla.
Ramos made amends right at the start of the second-half when he rose highest to head home James Rodriguez’s corner.
