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Madrid reach quarterfinals of Copa despite 2-2 draw against Numancia

January 12, 2018 00:00:00


Leganes' Nabil El Zhar (right) in an action during the Copa del Rey quarter-final football match against Villarreal on Wednesday. — AFP

MADRID, Jan 11 (AP): Real Madrid reached the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday but its struggles continued with a 2-2 draw against second-division team Numancia.

Madrid, playing with a second-string lineup, advanced 5-2 on aggregate thanks to its 3-0 win in the first leg last week, which marked the team's only win in its last four games.

Zinedine Zidane's side was coming off a 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo and a demoralizing 3-0 home loss to Barcelona in the Spanish league, a competition in which it trails the Catalan club by 16 points with a game in hand.

Madrid struggled to create significant chances and was unable to prevent Numancia from threatening.

Three-time defending champion Barcelona hosts Celta Vigo on Thursday. The teams drew 1-1 in last week's first leg in Vigo.

In another match, Leganes reached the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey for the first time in its 89-year history despite a 2-1 loss at Villarreal.

With the teams 2-2 on aggregate, Leganes advanced on away goals after winning the first leg 1-0.

Nabil El Zhar put the visitors ahead before halftime but Daniel Raba equalized for Villarreal early in the second half.

Denis Cheryshev scored Villarreal's winner with only a few minutes left.

The hosts needed another goal to advance but couldn't get it despite creating several scoring chances throughout the match - with a great performance by Leganes goalkeeper Nereo Champagne.

It is the third straight season that Villarreal has been eliminated in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey.


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