Reuters
Madrid, Jan 4: A Paco Alcacer header gave Valencia a 2-2 draw in a highly-charged La Liga clash against third-placed Real Madrid who had taken the lead with eight minutes remaining here Sunday.
Real, who had Mateo Kovacic sent off after 68 minutes for a two-footed challenge, went 2-1 ahead with a superb Gareth Bale header only for Alcacer to level just over a minute later.
Real had opened the scoring after a magical move in which Karim Benzema linked up with Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo before finishing clinically after 17 minutes.
Both sides had spells of dominance and Valencia equalised through a Dani Parejo penalty just before half time after a foul by Pepe on Andre Gomes.
The game was evenly poised when Kovacic was red carded for a reckless challenge on Joao Cancelo shortly after Ronaldo thought he should have had a penalty when he was bundled over.
Bale put Real back in front when he headed into the top corner from a free-kick after 82 minutes but Alcacer nodded in the equaliser from close range.
“It is difficult to maintain a high intensity and double if you have a player less, but we showed pride,” Real defender Sergio Ramos told reporters. “We wanted to start the year showing character and I think we did so here.”
Atletico Madrid are on top of the La Liga table with 41 points from 18 matches, two ahead of Barcelona, who have a game in hand, while Real have 37, one more than Villarreal who won 2-1 at Deportivo La Coruna thanks to a late penalty from Bruno Soriano who scored twice.
Real moved the ball around slickly in attack and went ahead with their first real chance. Benzema exchanged passes with Bale, who back-heeled the ball to Ronaldo, and the Portuguese set up the Frenchman to score from close.
Valencia improved as the first half went on and equalised after Pepe was caught out by Gomes and he brought him down for a penalty struck by Parejo.
“This is not a game for which we should be criticised,” said under-pressure Real manager Rafa Benitez. “We played with a lot of shape and were distinctly unlikely to concede the second goal. When you are playing with 10 men, it is always difficult… but the boys, they played admirably. Their efforts were really worthwhile.”
Elsewhere, Eibar’s Ander Capa, Keko, Adrian Gonzalez and Borja Baston were on target for the mid-table side in a 4-0 win at Real Betis.