Captain Karim Benzema scored twice in a wild finish as Real Madrid won 3-1 at Espanyol to preserve their 100 per cent record after three games of the La Liga season. Vinicius Junior`s tidy finish was cancelled out by a goal from Joselu, who has made a habit of scoring against Madrid since spending three years early in his career with the capital club`s `Castilla` B team, reports DPA. Benzema had a goal ruled out after the break, while Joselu almost pinched another, before Benzema turned in a cross from Rodrygo to snatch the points. Espanyol goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte was sent off in stoppage time and Benzema added his second from the subsequent free-kick as the game ended chaotically.
The result means Madrid move level on nine points with Real Betis, the next opponents for Carlo Ancelotti`s team and the only other side with a perfect record. Vinicius fired Madrid into a 12th-minute lead, meeting a smart pass from Aurelien Tchouameni close to the penalty spot and tucking a first-time shot past Lecomte and into the bottom-left corner. However, it was Espanyol who struck next, equalising in the 43rd minute. Joselu took Oscar Gil`s throughball on board and scored at the second attempt after Courtois made an initial save, with the ball rebounding kindly off Eder Militao for the home striker.
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Joselu was in the thick of the penalty-area drama again just before the hour mark when Courtois had to desperately push away his left-footed strike amid a scramble.
Lecomte repelled a 20-yard curling strike from Benzema at the other end, before Madrid`s talisman and captain had a goal disallowed for offside after he prodded in a low ball from Toni Kroos. As the game entered its closing stages, Benzema met Rodrygo`s expertly crafted cross from the left, tucking in a close-range volley at the far post to thoroughly deflate the hosts.
There was still time for more drama, Lecomte red-carded in stoppage time after a wild attempted tackle on Dani Ceballos just outside the penalty area. Benzema fired the set-piece from 20 yards beyond stand-in goalkeeper Leandro Cabrera, the captain and defender not quite up to the job.
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