Real drop first points as Benzema spurns penalty

Karim Benzema missed a penalty for Real Madrid as they finally blinked in the La Liga title race, dropping their first points of the season in a 1-1 draw with Osasuna on Sunday.

After Barcelona beat Real Mallorca on Saturday, Madrid knew they had to win to stay top but were frustrated by Jagoba Arrasate’s well-organised side at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Benzema, on his return to the side after injury, won a spot-kick but then fired it against the crossbar, and also had a goal disallowed for offside as Madrid tried to force a way through.

Vinicius Junior broke the deadlock just before half-time with a cross that snuck all the way into the far corner, but Kike Garcia’s well-taken header early in the second period earned Osasuna a point.

“What we were missing was scoring that penalty, normally Karim scores them,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said.

Benzema made his first appearance since September 6, while Andriy Lunin and Dani Ceballos started in place of Thibaut Courtois and Luka Modric.

Madrid probed promisingly down the flanks, while at the other end Abde Ezzalzouli, on loan at Osasuna from Barcelona, crashed a shot into the side netting on a bright display.

Madrid opened the scoring in fortuitous fashion, with Vinicius whipping in a low cross which caught out goalkeeper Sergio Herrera and crept in at the far post. 

The visitors were level five minutes into the second half, when Kike Garcia brilliantly looped a backwards header over Lunin.