Asensio's Brace Proves Important As Madrid Beat Betis In 8goal Thriller

Marco Asensio scored twice while Sergio Ramos ,
Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema also netted as Real Madrid recorded a 5-3 win over
Real Betis in Sunday night's entertaining La Liga contest at the Benito Villamarin.
Betis came from behind to lead 2-1 at the interval, but Real Madrid - who stay fourth in the table on 45 points - impressively turned things around in the second period to triumph in Seville.
Benzema dropped to the Real Madrid bench as
Gareth Bale featured alongside Ronaldo in the final third, while Asensio, Mateo Kovacic and
Lucas Vazquez were also handed starts for the visitors.
Betis, meanwhile, once again had Loren Moron at the tip of their attack, with the striker scoring three times in his two La Liga appearances since being introduced into the first-team set-up.
Real Madrid started well, and the visitors took the lead in the 11th minute when Asensio headed home from close range after Betis goalkeeper
Antonio Adan could only parry a fierce Ronaldo strike into a dangerous position.
Joaquin had Betis' first half-chance of the night in the 14th minute, but the experienced midfielder saw his strike deflected just wide of Keylor Navas 's post.
The home side responded well to the disappointment of falling behind, with Firpo Junior enjoying a lot of space down the right.
Aissa Mandi should have headed Betis level in the 22nd minute when he met a corner from Joaquin, but the centre-back's effort flashed wide.
Loren was next to come close for the hosts, with the in-form forward sending his low effort just wide of the Real Madrid post in the 24th minute, before Navas made a flying save to prevent a Joaquin free kick finding the top corner.
Betis were level in the 34th minute, however, when Mandi rose highest inside the Real Madrid box to head a brilliant Joaquin cross into the back of the net.
The home side were absolutely full of it, and they took the lead in the 37th minute when Junior's low effort was saved by Navas onto Nacho, who could only bundle the ball into the back of his own net from close range. It was no more than Betis deserved after recovering impressively from the disappointment of Asensio's early goal.
Betis also had the first chance of the second period when Fabian Ruiz found fellow midfielder
Andres Guardado just outside the Real Madrid box, but the Mexican curled his effort over the crossbar.
The visitors levelled the scores in the 50th minute, however, when Ramos's header from a Vazquez corner flew past Betis goalkeeper Adan.
Bale came close to sending Real Madrid ahead in the 55th minute when he broke into the home side's box, but Adan was on hand to make a brilliant save, before the Welshman clipped the outside of the post with another effort moments later.
Real Madrid did score their third in the 59th minute though when Asensio guided a Dani Carvajal cross into the far corner of the net for his second of the night.
The reigning champions then made it 4-2 in the 65th minute - Ronaldo firing the ball past Adan from inside the box as Betis struggled to deal with the rise in tempo.
Loren and Fabian both had half-chances for Betis in the five-minute period that followed, but Real Madrid were very much in control of proceedings as the match headed for its latter stages.
The home side had one back in the 85th minute when Sergio Leon turned a Junior cross home at the far post, but Joaquin passed up their best chance of an equaliser when he fired a free kick over the crossbar.
Real Madrid were not finished, however, and added a fifth in the second minute of added time when late substitute Benzema swept a low Vazquez cross into the far corner of the net.

Credit: SportsMole