The Portuguese subtly helped the ball on its way into the
night following a drive from Croatian Luka Modric to secure a tie for Zidane's
side.
With one eye on Tuesday's Champions League tie, Zinedine
Zidane will be mildly content with tonight's late goal to salvage a point at
home but even more importantly for the LaLiga side was the good news that no
player suffered injuries on the night.
The game itself lacked the traditional tension associated
with a meeting between two historical names in Spanish football and the
Bernabeu crowd were stunned when in the 14th minute Iñaki Williams slotted home
a delightful through ball from Cordoba. This was the detonator to begin the
monologue that dictated the pattern of the night... Madrid pushing and probing
with Athletic comfortable in defending deep looking to hit Williams on the
break.
It could have been 0-2 had Raul Garcia taken more time
instead of thundering the ball onto the bar from close range. Athletic started
to tire and failed to pick up Modric as the clock ticked down. The Croatian's
strike appeared to be goal-bound but repeats showed how a sublime flick from
Cristiano was enough to finally beat Kepa.
A word apart from the Athletic keeper who in January seemed
destined for life at the Bernabeu. A virtuoso display from the stopper tonight
will have many of the home fans wishing that the 23-year-old had decided on a
move to the Spanish capital.
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