Real Madrid drops Bilbao and continues to pursue Barcelona

Goals: Athletic Bilbao – Real Madrid – Played on 01/22/ 2023

Real Madrid defeated Athletic Bilbao (2-0), this evening, Sunday, at the “San Mames” stadium, in the 18th round of La Liga.

French star Karim Benzema opened the scoring for Real in the 24th minute, before German Toni Kroos added the second goal in the 90th minute.

Real Madrid raised its score to 41 points in the runner-up, 3 points behind leaders Barcelona, while Bilbao’s balance froze at 26 points in eighth place.

The match started with pressure from the hosts, but the first real threat came through Benzema with a shot after a pass from Mendy, who made a distinguished individual effort in the 7th minute.

Thibaut Courtois shone in blocking a header from Paredes inside the penalty area in the 10th minute, then Neco Williams hit a powerful ball in the 23rd minute.

Benzema managed to score the goal for Real Madrid in the 24th minute when he received a ball from Marco Asensio and hit the bird in the net of Unai Simon.

Valverde shot a ball that passed over Simon’s goal, then the latter blocked a shot from Vinicius, then the first half ended with Al-Mirenji advancing 1-0.

At the start of the second half, Iñaki Williams received a cross ball inside the penalty area and hit a ball on the bird that passed over Thibaut Courtois’ goal in the 47th minute.

Unai Simon blocked a shot from Nacho in the 59th minute, then Asensio missed the opportunity to add Real Madrid’s second goal in the 65th minute.

Neco Williams wasted with great carelessness, as he received an accidental ball inside the penalty area, and received the ball to single Courtois, but he shot wide of the goal.

Inaki Williams scored the equalizing goal for Athletic Bilbao in the 77th minute, but the referee canceled it due to offside so that the Merengue would continue to advance in the result.

Neco Williams hit Courtois’s shot and turned it into a corner, then Benzema hit a header that passed by the right post of Unai Simon’s goal.

Toni Kroos added the second goal, as he received a cross pass from Rodrigo and hit a ground shell below Simon’s left, to settle the three points for the Meringue.