Internet Desk : James Rodriguez came in from the cold with a goal on his first La Liga start of the season as Real Madrid remained in hot form at the top of the table.
The Colombian had seen little action and was linked with a move to Chelsea during the transfer window, but rewarded Zinedine Zidane’s decision to include him on Sunday with the first goal in first-half injury time in a 2-0 win over Espanyol.
The victory was Real’s 16th consecutive La Liga win, beating the old club record set in 1960-61. Equally importantly, it took Real three points clear of the rest with four wins from four this season, the only 100 percent record remaining in the Spanish top flight.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale were absent through illness and injury, respectively, but the third prong of the feared ‘BBC’ attack, Karim Benzema, scored the second goal which took the match away from Quique Sanchez Flores’ spirited Espanyol side.
Former Espanyol loanees Lucas Vazquez and Marco Asensio almost combined to put Real in front after five minutes. Vazquez cut in from the right and his low cross was just beyond the late run of Asensio to the far post.
It was an otherwise careless start from Real, who had Sergio Ramos booked in the fourth minute after a heavy touch was followed by a late lunge at Leo Baptistao. Pepe then missed a headed clearance which presented an opening to Baptistao, but Real goalkeeper Kiko Casilla blocked his shot.
Ramos could have been sent off when he appeared to block a long-range shot with his hand, but fell to the ground clutching his face with the referee clearly believing that was where the ball had hit him.
Toni Kroos, introduced for Casemiro in the 19th minute, and Luka Modric started to assert their quality on the game and Real had a goal disallowed after 38 minutes when Benzema was a yard offside as he met Marcelo’s cross with a powerful header.
The hosts went close themselves moments later when Baptistao headed just wide of Casilla’s right-hand post from an Hernan Perez cross but the half had a perfect ending for Real – and Rodriguez in particular.
The playmaker received a sideways pass from Kroos in the second minute of stoppage time, saw off challenges from Perez and Pape Diop before drilling a low shot from outside the box into the left-hand corner of Diego Lopez’s goal.
The first opening of the second period came Benzema’s way as he swivelled and volleyed Asensio’s knockdown toward goal, but Diego Lopez got behind it to block.
Rodriguez made way for Isco, another of the more under-used members of Zidane’s squad, in the 62nd minute. Vazquez almost played in the new man for a shot on goal but Javi Lopez got in an important challenge before Benzema was crowded out.
The Frenchman doubled Real’s lead after 70 minutes though, rounding off an excellent team move. Dani Carvajal released Vazquez down the right and his low cross was drilled in from six yards.
Benzema was immediately taken off for Alvaro Morata, and the hosts made a positive response as Ecuadorian forward Felipe Caicedo’s deflected shot had to be pushed over by Casilla.
Ramos’ late free kick was straight at Diego Lopez, but a victory and a clean sheet represented a job well done for Zidane and his troops.