Real Madrid 2-0 Granada: Casemiro and Karim Benzema goals take Real level with Atletico
- Published
Goals from Casemiro and Karim Benzema gave Real Madrid a win over Granada to take them level on points with leaders Atletico Madrid at the top of La Liga.
After a poor first half, Real took the lead when Casemiro headed in from Marco Asensio's cross from the left.
Benzema sealed the victory in second-half injury time with a low strike from 20 yards out for his eighth La Liga goal of the season.
Granada's best chance fell to Antonio Puertas but he shot over early on.
That chance came after only 28 seconds when, after Real had kicked off, Raphael Varane lost possession and ex-Tottenham striker Roberto Soldado set up Puertas, but, unmarked, he fired wastefully over.
The one negative for Zinedine Zidane's Real Madrid was a first-half injury to Rodrygo that saw the 19-year-old Brazilian winger carried off on a stretcher with a hamstring injury.
This was their sixth successive win in all competitions and their fifth in a row in La Liga to join leaders Atletico on 32 points, although Real have played two games more than their city rivals.
MOTD Top 10: Who are the greatest Premier League captains?
Radio 1's Festive Live Lounge: The best Christmas songs performed by the biggest artists