With a remarkable injury time goal, Real Madrid salvaged a 3-3 draw against Sevilla in the Copa del Rey to set a Spanish record of 40 consecutive games unbeaten on Thursday.
Madrid had its spot in the Copa quarterfinals all-but-secured in the final minutes in Seville when Karim Benzema made a great run past several defenders and entered the area to fire in a low right-foot shot that allowed Madrid to surpass the unbeaten mark that it shared with rival Barcelona.
The dramatic equaliser started with consecutive back-heel passes between Benzema and left back Marcelo outside the area. Benzema’s shot deflected off a defender’s leg before crossing the line.
Madrid advanced 6-3 on aggregate following its 3-0 first-leg win at home last week.
Zinedine Zidane’s team kept alive an unbeaten streak that started nine months ago. Its last defeat was a 2-0 result at Wolfsburg in the quarterfinals of the Champions League in April. Since then, Madrid has won 30 games and drawn 10 in a run that included three titles.
Madrid halted Barcelona’s record run last season with a win at Camp Nou in April. Madrid tied the record by crushing Granada 5-0 in a Spanish league game on Saturday.
Zidane has lost only twice since taking over the Spanish powerhouse a year ago. Cristiano Ronaldo and other regular starters were left out of the starting lineup to rest on Thursday.
Benzema scored the winner less than 20 minute after coming off the bench. It was an open match at Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium, with the hosts getting on the board with an own goal by Madrid defender Danilo just 10 minutes into the match. But Marco Asensio dampened the crowd’s hopes with a remarkable 70-meter run that culminated with an equalizer from inside the area just after halftime. He got the ball near his own area and made it all the way to the other side before finding the net.
Sevilla needed four more goals to advance at that time, and it added two more with Stevan Jovetic and Vicente Iborra in the second half. But Madrid netted again near the end with a penalty kick converted “Panenka” style by Sergio Ramos, who was returning from injury. Ramos celebrated by provoking part of the crowd, and was loudly booed when he left the field after the match.
It was a matchup between the top two teams in the Spanish league, and a rematch of the Super Cup final that Madrid won in extra time five months ago.
The teams meet again in Seville in a league match on Sunday, when Madrid will defend its four-point lead. Zidane’s team also has a game in hand.
Madrid is trying to win its first Copa since 2014. Last season, it was disqualified in the opening round for fielding an ineligible player.
Sevilla reached the final last season but lost to Barcelona, which advanced to the quarterfinals on Wednesday by beating Athletic Bilbao 3-1 to reverse a 2-1 first-leg loss in Bilbao.
On Tuesday, Atletico Madrid lost at home 3-2 to Las Palmas, advancing 4-3 on aggregate after a 2-0 win in the Canary Islands.
CELTA VIGO 2, VALENCIA 1
Valencia remained winless this year after failing to reverse a 4-1 home loss to Celta Vigo, being eliminated 6-2 on aggregate. Valencia, just outside the relegation zone in the Spanish league, hasn’t won since the resignation of former Italy coach Cesare Prandelli during the winter break.
EIBAR 0, OSASUNA 0
Eibar comfortably held its 3-0 first-leg win, advancing after a lackluster home draw against the last-place team in the Spanish league.
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