Source: By PA Sport staff
Bale returns to lift Real past third-tier minnows
Gareth Bale made a welcome return from injury to spare Real Madrid embarrassment in their Copa del Rey clash with Segunda B leaders Fuenlabrada.Zinedine Zidane’s young side struggled desperately and faced the very real danger of seeing their 2-0 first leg lead wiped out before Bale’s 62nd-minute introduction changed the course of the game.Bale set up two goals for Borja Mayoral but it was still not enough to serve up a win on the night as the visitors hit back for a deserved 2-2 draw at a sparsely populated Bernabeu.🏁 FT: #RealMadrid 2-2 @CFuenlabradaSAD (@Mayoral_Borja 62', 70'; Luis Milla 25', Portilla 89') (agg 4-2).#RMCopa | #HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/iFgASbHF1h— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) November 28, 2017In a stunning start, Fuenlabrada laid siege to the Real goal with home keeper Keylor Navas – by far the most experienced player in the starting line-up – saving well to deny Alvaro Bravo.Hugo Fraile also hit a fine chance over the bar before Luis Milla lashed a 25th-minute rocket in off the underside of the bar to give the visitors a remarkable lead.Zidane’s men rallied with chances for Marcos Llorente and Francisco Feuillasier but it took 41 minutes to test visiting keeper Pol Freixenet, who saved well from Mateo Kovacic.📸➡️🏆 We're through to the last-16 of the Copa del Rey!#RMCopa | #HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/uqK2tDsoBC— Real Madrid C.F.🇬🇧 (@realmadriden) November 28, 2017Fuenlabrada went in ahead at the interval and came agonisingly close to levelling the aggregate scoreline early in the second half when defender Daniel Diaz struck a header against the bar.Having missed the last 11 games due to injury, Bale made his return in place of Feuillasier just past the hour mark and within a minute had set up his side’s equaliser on the night.🔁 60' First change with @GarethBale11 replacing Franchu.#RMCopa pic.twitter.com/h9krgzUGNJ— Real Madrid C.F.🇬🇧 (@realmadriden) November 28, 2017Bale produced a pinpoint cross to find Mayoral who headed home – and three minutes later Bale’s shot deflected off the legs of Freixenet to Mayoral, who scored his second.If the goals ended the tie as a contest, they did not sap the will of Real’s third-tier opponents who secured a richly deserved draw on the night when Alvaro Portilla fired home at the second attempt one minute from time.(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){
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