Marco Asensio scored twice while Sergio Ramos, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema also netted as Real Madrid recorded a 5-3 win over Real Betis in Sunday night’s entertaining La Liga contest at the Benito Villamarin.
Betis came from behind to lead 2-1 at the interval, but Real Madrid – who stay fourth in the table on 45 points – impressively turned things around in the second period to triumph in Seville.
Real Madrid started well, and the visitors took the lead in the 11th minute when Asensio headed home from close range after Betis goalkeeper Antonio Adan could only parry a fierce Ronaldo strike into a dangerous position.
Joaquin had Betis’ first half-chance of the night in the 14th minute, but the experienced midfielder saw his strike deflected just wide of Keylor Navas’s post.
The home side responded well to the disappointment of falling behind, with Firpo Junior enjoying a lot of space down the right. Aissa Mandi should have headed Betis level in the 22nd minute when he met a corner from Joaquin, but the centre-back’s effort flashed wide.
Betis were level in the 34th minute, however, when Mandi rose highest inside the Real Madrid box to head a brilliant Joaquin cross into the back of the net.
The home side were absolutely full of it, and they took the lead in the 37th minute when Junior’s low effort was saved by Navas onto Nacho, who could only bundle the ball into the back of his own net from close range.
The visitors levelled the scores in the 50th minute, however, when Sergio Ramos’s header from a Vazquez corner flew past Betis goalkeeper Adan.
Real Madrid did score their third in the 59th minute though when Asensio guided a Dani Carvajal cross into the far corner of the net for his second of the night.
The reigning champions then made it 4-2 in the 65th minute – Ronaldo firing the ball past Adan from inside the box as Betis struggled to deal with the rise in tempo.
The home side had one back in the 85th minute when Sergio Leon turned a Junior cross home at the far post, but Joaquin passed up their best chance of an equaliser when he fired a free kick over the crossbar.
Real Madrid were not finished, however, and added a fifth in the second minute of added time when late substitute Benzema swept a low Vazquez cross into the far corner of the net.