First Division - Day 4

Real Madrid 1 - Granada 0

Madrid: Keylor Navas; Dani Carvajal, Pepe, Varane, Marcelo; Modric, Kroos (Kovacic 62’); Lucas Vázquez, Isco (Casemiro 85‘), Ronaldo; Benzema (Cheryshev 77’). 4-2-3-1.
Granada: Andrés; Miguel Lopes, Lombán, Dória, Biraghi; Krhin, Javi Márquez; Isaac Success (Robert Ibáñez 61‘), Rochina (Fran Rico 67‘), Edgar (Nico López 77‘); El-Arabi. 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
1-0. 54. Benzema. Got free of markers to head Isco cross into net on far post.

Yellow cards: Edgar 35’, Isco 43’, Javi Márquez 70’, Krhin 80’.

Real Madrid moved to the top of the table pending Barcelona’s game on Sunday after beating Granada 1-0 on Saturday afternoon. It was a close call though, Benzema heading the winner from Isco’s cross early on in the second half, but the Andalusians failing to convert several chances to save a point. With twenty minutes gone El-Arabi got the ball in the net only to be pulled up for a non-existent offside, and Keylor Navas had to save from Isaac Success a few minutes later. Lucas Vázquez and Isco went close for the locals, Andrés did well to save from Modric and Ronaldo either side of half time, and Isco and Ronaldo had penalty appeals turned down after the restart. But Success chipped a shot wide when free on goal early on in the second half, and Navas had to keep out El-Arabi and others to ensure a record fifth clean sheet in a row. Three points for Madrid though, and Syrian refugee Zaid, who was one of the young mascots for today’s game, will be delighted with the result.