Skip to main content

Bale returns to help Real progress

Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale returned from injury in style by coming on to create two goals for Borja Mayoral in a 2-2 second-leg draw with third-tier Fuenlabrada as their second-string side took them into the King's Cup last 16 on Tuesday.

Real won 4-2 on aggregate and Bale's cameo performance was one of few bright spots on a nervy evening for the hosts at the Santiago Bernabeu during which the Liga and European champions were in serious danger of being forced to play extra time.

Welsh international Bale brought badly needed quality to Zinedine Zidane's struggling side with a substitute appearance after 63 days out with injuries and had an instant impact.

With Real behind on the night after conceding an early goal, Bale picked up the ball after coming on to a smattering of applause and curled over a cross for Mayoral to head an equaliser in the 63rd minute which effectively ended the tie.

Bale also made Real's second goal, skipping into the area to force goalkeeper Pol Freixanet to parry and Mayoral picked up the loose ball to score again and put Real in front.

Fuenlabrada kept fighting, and substitute Alvaro Portilla salvaged a draw in the 89th, punishing some chaotic defending.
The visiting minnows from the suburbs of the Spanish capital had taken a surprise yet deserved lead through midfielder Luis Milla in the 25th minute with a stinging long-range shot which flummoxed home goalkeeper Keylor Navas.

Zidane again fielded a largely reserve team as he did in the 2-0 first-leg win but they were more than matched by Fuenlabrada, whose defender Cata Diaz had almost levelled the tie when his header hit the bar in the second half.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Nigerian Military hands over 23 rescued children to UNICEF through Borno State

The Nigerian military has handed over 23 children who were formerly associated with Boko Haram insurgents, to UNICEF through the Borno State government.  The children were picked up during various military operations around the north-east region. Aged between 17 and 10 years, the boys and girls confessed to the military that they have been assisting the Boko Haram insurgents either as fighters or domestic helps in the camps. The Theatre Commander of a military counterinsurgency force, Abba Dikko, said the 23 children were released in line with Nigeria military’s commitment to the observance of human rights. He observed that the children and other vulnerable persons were victims who faced with the highly unstable circumstances induced by the conflict would have had little option but to fall under the thrall of the insurgents.  “We were able to identify this category of people, especially the women, the aged and children to whom it behooves our sense of duty and res...

FRSC reinforces directive on use of google maps while driving

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has clarified its position on the use of Google Maps, The FCT Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ayuba Gora was quoted saying that driving with the aid of Google map using mobile phones is a serious traffic offence. Gora said this at the inauguration of the 2019 Ember Months Campaign by Lugbe Unit Command of the FRSC in Abuja yesterday. But, FRSC Spokesman Bisi Kazeem making reference to Gora’s comments said the Sector Commander was quoted out of context and his statement outrightly misrepresented. Kazeem said the FRSC as a technology-driven organisation is not and has never stood against the use of Google Maps by Motorists. The statement read: “To state the obvious, we have always enlightened the public on the position of the law on the use of phone while driving. “The statement he made during the flag off buttresses the position of the Corps, which is that any driver who intends to deploy the use of Google Map...

Rihanna confirms she's headlining the Super Bowl LVII halftime show

  Rihanna has confirmed she will be headlining the 2023 Super Bowl half-time show.   The Barbadian singer, 34, announced the news Sunday September 25, by sharing a photo of her tattooed arm holding a football. The post marks Rihanna's first social media activity since giving birth to her first child in May.   The NFL also Tweeted the big news with the same snap and the message 'Let’s GO-#SBLVII' A statement released by Roc Nation founder Shawn Jay-Z Carter, read: 'Rihanna is a generational talent, a woman of humble beginnings who has surpassed expectations at every turn. A person born on the small island of Barbados who became one of the most prominent artists ever. Self-made in business and entertainment.'  A statement from Apple Music read, 'We are thrilled to welcome Rihanna to the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show stage,' shared Seth Dudowsky who is the NFL Head of Music. 'Rihanna is a once in a generation artist who has been a cultural fo...