A win is a win, but it wasn’t a very convincing performance from Real Madrid and they could easily have lost their match against Real Betis if two clear penalty incidents had not been passed over by the referee.
Betis took an early lead through Jorge Molina and they held on for fifteen minutes before Higuaín banged home an equaliser.
In the second half, Ronaldo put Real Madrid into the lead for the first time, but only for three minutes, Montero making it all-square again. It was Ronaldo with his second who put Madrid back into the lead in the 73rd minute and it stayed that way until the end.
There were two handball incidents in the penalty area, the first a clear and blatant offence by Xabi Alonso, and a second by Sergio Ramos, which could have drastically altered the outcome had the penalties been given. But they weren’t, and Madrid can thank their good fortune, as well as some good saves from Casillas, for their victory.
A very interesting encounter to watch and one which could easily have gone either way. Madrid are now 13 points clear pending Sunday’s matches, with Barcelona travelling to Real Sociedad.