Real made to work for Copa del Rey win

Real Madrid look on course to progress in the Copa del Rey after beating Numancia 3-0 in their last 16 first leg clash at Nuevo Estadio Los Pajaritos on Thursday night. Numancia 0 Real Madrid 3 Bale on target from the spot on 35' Isco adds a second penalty on 89' Mayoral makes it three after 91'

Match summary

Gareth Bale broke the deadlock in this Spanish cup tie, with a cooly-taken penalty mid-way through the first half ahead of a second spot-kick, this time from Isco right at the death. But there was still time for another late goal, as Borja Mayoral finally found the target, in stoppage time at the end of the game

Full report

Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane made 10 changes to the team that lost 3-0 to Barcelona before the break, and they were made to work for the victory against an in-form Numancia.

Lucas Vazquez was first to threaten for the visitors as he came close to combining well with Mayoral down the left flank, ahead of a Bale free-kick that stuck the Numancia wall, from what was a promising position 25 yards from goal.

Higinio Marin, who moments earlier had almost picked out Pape Maly Diamanka with an audacious backheel, then had to be tracked all the way to the goalline as he burst into the Real box with 11 minutes played.

Kiko Casilla, meanwhile, did well to block a first-time effort from Diamanka, as he connected to a 12th minute corner - after Milla saw his goal-bound shot, deflect wide, having been played through by Higinio.

Higinio then fired just wide himself after brushing aside Theo Hernandez, in what was a good spell for the home side, ahead of another half-chance for Real as Marco Asensio failed to connect to an excellent delivery by Bale.

Vazquez really should have done better after cutting in from the left-hand side, before toe-poking into the side-netting, while Marcos Llorente was wasteful from a 26th minute set-piece that smashed into a host of defenders.

But after some real sloppiness in front of goal from the visitors, and a lucky break after Dani Nieto appeared to be fouled inside the Madrid box, it was Zidane's side who took the lead, with 35 minutes on the clock. Vazquez was clumsily upended by Carlos Gonzalez inside the area, and Bale confidently slotted the resultant spot kick into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

Asensio  came close to adding a second goal with a 39th minute free-kick that was played short to him from 25 yards out, while Diamanke was off balance as he tried to loop a header on target with the half  winding down - that ended with Pere Mill heading another good Nieto delivery wide of goal.

Nacho was wide as he connected to a corner at the start of the second half as Vazquez shot well over the target after some superb approach play from Ceballos and Carvajal.

Mayoral was unable to buck the trend with a similarly poor effort from close range on 57 minutes, after being picked out by Theo from the left-flank, ahead of moment of madness that saw Diamanka dismissed for a second yellow card, as he flew into a tackle with Nacho.

With a man advantage, it was all Real, but Vazquez couldn't stoop to connect to a superb Ascensio delivery as Higinio headed into the side netting at the other end.

Ceballos then fired a weak shot at Munir before Perez hit the crossbar, with 77 minutes on the clock with a long range effort after seeing Casilla off his line.

Second-half substitute Isco fired just wide with the game winding down after playing a neat one-two with Asensio inside the box - before extending Real's advantage with a minute of regulation time remaining, from the penalty spot. Kovacic had charged forward at the front of a Real counter before feeding Vazquez , who was tripped by Gutierrez, leaving Isco to smash his spot-kick into the top left corner of the net.

But Real were not quite done, as Mayoral made it three with a downward header past Munir, as he connected to a Achraf Hakimi cross, to ensure that Madrid go into their second leg clash on January 10 2018 with a significant advantage.