(MENAFN- The Peninsula) QNA
Madrid: Marco Asensio added to his burgeoning reputation with a brace in Real Madrid's thrilling 5-3 comeback win at Real Betis in a breath-taking LaLiga classic on Sunday.
Zinedine Zidane's side, who are again 17 points behind pace-setters Barcelona, had boosted morale and confidence with a 3-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday. And Los Blancos followed up that triumph with a victory in a goal-laden match at Benito Villamarin that swung back and forth between two teams who dazzled with a stunning display of attacking football.
Madrid took an early lead through Asensio but Betis, thanks largely to the evergreen, effervescent Joaquin, scored twice in four minutes to turn the match around before half-time through Aissa Mandi and a Nacho own-goal, strikes which followed Marcelo limping off with a hamstring injury for the visitors. LaLiga's champions recovered brilliantly after the break, though, with Sergio Ramos heading in the equalizer, before Asensio struck a fine finish to put his side back in front - recording Madrid's 6,000th LaLiga goal in the process.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored twice against PSG to continue his blistering 2018 goalscoring form, seemingly wrapped up the points with Madrid's fourth goal after 65 minutes. Zidane's men survived a late fightback from Betis after Sergio Leon struck, though, with Karim Benzema coming off the bench to score Madrid's fifth, and his side have a six-point cushion in the last of LaLiga's four Champions League qualification places, with league games against Leganes and Deportivo La Coruna to come for Los Blancos in the next six days.
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