Madrid, April 17 (IANS) Real Madrid cruised to within one point of BBVA Primera Liga leaders, FC Barcelona on Saturday after an easy 5-1 win away to bottom of the table Getafe.
Karim Benzema, Isco, James and Gareth Bale scored for Madrid, while Pablo Sarabia netted a consolation for the home side, reports Xinhua.
Although Getafe saw Juan Eduardo Esnaider make his debut as coach, he was unable to produce any major change of form from his side which has now lost 11 of their last 13 games.
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane made two changes in midfield, resting Luka Modric and Casimiro and bringing James Rodriguez and Isco into his starting 11, however, he resisted the opportunity to rest any of his attacking trio of Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo as his side looked to close the gap at the top.
It took a while for Madrid to open the scoring, although Ronaldo hit the post with a right foot after 15 minutes, but once Benzema had slid the ball into the Getafe net following a James cross just ahead of the half hour, Zidane’s men never looked back.
A smart counter attack before the break saw Benzema show his creative side with a through ball that Isco glided past Vicente Guaita in the Getafe goal five minutes before the break.
The game was as good as over three minutes into the second half when Bale’s pace took him past the Getafe defense to side-foot home his 16th league game of the season to make it 3-0.
That goal saw Bale rested with Lucas Vazquez on to replace him as Zidane looked to rotate his squad with some fresh legs and Jese replaced Benzema shortly afterwards.
With the game apparently dying a death former Madrid youth team player, Sarabia. scored from 20 yards, but there was still time for James to net Madrid’s fourth of the game after receiving a pass from Lucas, before Jese unselfishly gave Ronaldo the goal he was craving with the last kick of the game.
