Real Madrid 1 - 1 Eibar: Real Madrid held again as Eibar claim Bernabeu draw

Posted Monday, October 03, 2016 by PA

Real Madrid stumbled for the fourth game in a row as Eibar held them to a 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu.

Zinedine Zidane's men looked jaded and disjointed in a fourth consecutive draw in all competitions, but the visitors deserved credit for a tenacious performance which began with Fran Rico heading them in front after five minutes.

Gareth Bale levelled for Real in the 18th minute but there was to be no winner for Real, who have lost their way after starting the league campaign with four straight wins.

Bale threatened first when he cut in from the right and fired a shot into the side-netting with just four minutes gone but the Bernabeu was silenced as Eibar took a shock lead moments later.

Ander Capa crossed from the right and Rico was given too much room in the box and his downward header was too strong for Real goalkeeper Keylor Navas.

The lead was short-lived for the visitors as Cristiano Ronaldo bewitched the Eibar defence and made room to stand up a cross to the far post where Bale leapt to nod home. It was his 50th LaLiga goal.

Real's defending was still looking suspect, though, and seconds after Bale's equaliser Pedro Leon drew a save from Navas at the near post after bursting into the box.

Karim Benzema stabbed wide from close range following good link-up play down the left by Ronaldo and Danilo, and Eibar goalkeeper Asier Riesgo had to get down well to parry a low Ronaldo shot.

Eibar defender Florian Lejeune got a crucial touch to divert a dangerous cross by Mateo Kovacic away from Ronaldo, but the Portuguese headed way off target in the final seconds of the half when Bale's centre from the right picked him out.

Zidane made a double substitution for the second period as Alvaro Morata replaced Benzema and Nacho Fernandez came on for Raphael Varane at the back.

Real were undone early on as a ball played over the top was chased down by Leon, but he snatched at a shot when he had plenty of time to steady himself and pick his spot.

Ronaldo's frustration grew as Eibar got bodies in the way of his shot and Real rightly had a goal disallowed for offside as Morata turned in a rebound when Riesgo brilliantly saved a Ronaldo header.

Morata was booked for diving in the box before Lejeune was also yellow-carded for a wild challenge on Ronaldo on the edge of the area.

Eibar were very much still in it and Capa almost provided the cross for the second, Sergi Enrich's header flying just off target.

Bale's header seconds later came back off the post after he got in front of Antonio Luna but as the final quarter approached Real had the look of a team drained of confidence.

Nothing was quite falling right for the hosts as Isco's cutback from right on the byline was just too high for Ronaldo to head goalwards.

A peach of a pass from Bale found Ronaldo at the far post, but his shot was deflected wide as Eibar left the capital with a point which must have felt like a victory.