Real held by Villarreal to end 100 percent start

Sports Thursday 22/September/2016 12:24 PM
By: Times News Service
Real held by Villarreal to end 100 percent start

Madrid: Real Madrid's 100 percent start to the La Liga season came to an end as they drew 1-1 at home to Villarreal on Wednesday, halting their joint record run of 16 straight league wins.
Captain Bruno Soriano gave Villarreal the lead on the stroke of halftime with a boldly chipped penalty after Sergio Ramos had handled in the area, although the Real captain made amends by heading in the equaliser in the 48th minute.
Real remain top of La Liga on 13 points but failed to seal a new record of consecutive wins, having equalled the 16 straight victories set by Pep Guardiola's Barcelona in 2010/11 on Sunday.
"We were the much better side in the second half but you can't always win every game in the last minute," Zidane told a news conference on Wednesday.
"It's difficult, it was a tough game and we gave a lot but sometimes these results happen. It happened today but it's not going to change how we want to play."
Cristiano Ronaldo returned to action after missing the 2-0 win at Espanyol and spurned two early chances, firing over the bar and heading at goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo, who had to punch away a close range header from Karim Benzema.
Despite these chances, Real lacked intensity and fluidity and allowed Villarreal opportunities at the other end.
Zidane's side suffered a setback when Marcelo was forced off injured shortly before halftime but that was not the end of their woes.
Villarreal found their way through when Ramos gave away a penalty by halting a Manu Trigueros shot with his hand, and tried to hide his guilt by burying his face in his hands.
Ramos had got away with a similar offence at Espanyol but referee Jose Luis Gonzalez Gonzalez showed no mercy, and Soriano, who had missed from the spot against Malaga earlier in the season, opened the scoring with an audacious chip.
The Spain captain, however, redeemed himself by heading in Toni Kroos' corner early in the second half.
From then on Real dominated proceedings as they searched for a winner.
Gareth Bale flashed a shot wide from a tight angle, Ronaldo narrowly failed to connect with a cross at the far post and later on shot straight at Asenjo, who had denied substitute Alvaro Morata from close range.