Benzema scores winner for Real

It came into the duel on the back of a humiliating Champions League defeat at Paris St Germain. Benzema gave the visitor the lead against former Real coach Julen Lopetegui’s Sevilla in the 64th minute in a tense game. He timed his jump perfectly to meet a Dani Carvajal cross from the byline and sent the ball high into the net.

Striker Javier Hernandez put the ball in the net for the host late on but his effort was ruled out for offside. And, Real hung on to claim its first victory at the Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium in five seasons. The result saw Madrid climb to second place on 11 points after five games, level with leader Athletic Bilbao, which beat Alaves 2-0 at home on Sunday. Sevilla began the weekend in top spot, but tumbled to fifth on 10 points. Holder Barcelona is eighth on seven points after Saturday’s shock 0-2 defeat at promoted Granada. “Real never loses its hunger or desire to win,” captain Sergio Ramos told reporters. “We knew how difficult this game would be, we hadn’t won here for many years. Apart from a couple of set pieces, we had the game under control.”

Real had lost on its last four league visits to the Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium and was thrashed 0-3 there last season, a game that spelled the beginning of the end for Lopetegui, who was sacked by the club little more than a month later. Current coach Zinedine Zidane travelled to Seville facing serious questions about his own leadership of the team after it was hammered 0-3 by PSG.

But Real produced a very different type of performance this time, which Zidane hailed as the best he has seen since returning to the club in March. Sevilla’s entire squad had only recently returned from a gruelling 12,000-km round trip to Baku to face Qarabag in the Europa League last Thursday.

It lacked its usual aggression and intensity as a scrappy game ensued. Carvajal had the tourist’s best chance before the interval, firing straight at keeper Tomas Vaclik from inside the area. Gareth Bale also tested the Czech with a stinging free-kick.

The deadlock was finally broken, thanks to some clever teamwork from Real. Bale released Carvajal down the right wing, with Benzema producing the perfect finish. The goal sparked Sevilla into life and it spent most of the remaining minutes pressing for an equaliser, but Real dug deep to grind out a hugely significant victory.