Getafe 2-3 Real Madrid: Controversial penalty sets stage for hard-fought Blanco win

0-1 Cristiano Ronaldo (pen.) 11'
0-2 Özil 19'
1-2 Parejo 28'
1-3 Cristiano Ronaldo 57'
2-3 Albín 85'

Cristiano Ronaldo nets twice as Real Madrid win again...
... A match with two fine goals, two defensive gaffes, and one controversial penalty

Real Madrid were worth their win against Getafe at the Coliseum Alfono Pérez on Monday evening, but the debate over their opening goal is set to rage on long after the pitch is empty.

Angel Di María went down in the box under pressure from Getafe left-back Mané after eleven minutes, Cristiano Ronaldo converting the resulting spot-kick: still pictures show that Mané had a hand on the Argentine's shirt, but the Getafe players fiercely protested, stating that contact was minimal.

There were to be no question marks over the second goal. Di María was again involved, this time springing a perfect through ball for the fleet-footed Mesut Özil, who rounded Jordi Codina for a narrow-angled finish. A superb piece of teamwork it was, but it found the Getafe centre-backs wanting all the same.

Stats 53% Possession 47% 5 Shots on goal 5 3 Corners 2 87 Balls Lost 85 60 Balls Recovered 62 4 Yellow Cards 5 0 Red Cards 1 14 Fouls Committed 21

Of even finer quality was Dani Parejo's effort ten minutes later. The former Real Madrid youth halved the deficit with a superb solo effort, weaving past Raul Albiol and Lass Diarra into the box before firing past Iker Casillas into the far corner.

Getafe came out strongly after the break but succumbed to another Cristiano Ronaldo goal. Jordi Codina issued a dreadful clearance as far as Özil, who in turn provided Karim Benzema to set up CR9 for an easy finish.

The hosts tried to press forward but succeeded mainly in leaving themselves exposed at the back, resulting in a series of chances for Madrid: one of these, a three-on-one occasion, should have resulted in a goal, but a lazy finish from Benzema saw Codina gather the ball to his considerable relief.

In the last fifteen minutes - after Real Madrid's long-awaited reintroduction of Kaká - Getafe began to seize possession once more, and they were given a glimmer of hope in the 81st when Álvaro Arbeloa saw a second yellow card for handling a deep Mané cross.

Almost immediately Getafe took advantage, substitute Juan Ángel Albín bundling home a Pedro Mosquera cross after a dreadful touch in the box from Marcelo left the ball in the Uruguayan's path.

But despite pressing to the end neither side could add a sixth goal to the evening. Real Madrid thus end the weekend two points behind Barcelona at the top, while Getafe remain seventh on 26.

Getafe: Codina; Torres, Rafa, Cata Díaz, Mané; Boateng, Parejo; Pedro Ríos (Albín 47'), Gavilán (Mosquera 76'), Manu del Moral (Casquero 66'); Miku. Real Madrid: Casillas; Arbeloa, Ramos, Albiol, Marcelo; Lass (Khedira 46'), Xabi Alonso; Di María, Özil (Garay 85'), Cristiano Ronaldo; Benzema (Kaká 75').