Real Madrid stomps Leganes after trailing 1-0, Ronaldo rested

Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Real Madrid had flawless execution Wednesday when it scored the go-ahead goal in a 3-1 win against Leganes at Butarque Stadium in Madrid, Spain.

Los Blancos trailed 1-0 early on but stormed back for the La Liga triumph. Star forward Cristiano Ronaldo did not play in the matchup.

Leganes midfielder Javier Eraso got the scoring sequence started when he took a corner kick from the left side in the 6th minute. The offering crossed the field and landed about five yards from the net. Two Leganes players managed to head the ball toward the goal, where it was initially saved by Madrid keeper Kiko Casilla.

Madrid defender Theo Hernandez tried to clear the ball, but his rip was deflected when Leganes defender Unai Bustinza dove on the ground and headed the ball into the net for the game's first score.

Madrid tied the match in the 11th minute.

Midfielder Carlos Casemiro stole the ball from the Leganes defense and fired a pass to Karim Benzema. The forward dribbled around the defense before finding Mateo Kovacic, who laced a beautiful through ball into the box. Casemiro partially deflected the offering with his heel onto Lucas Vazquez. Vazquez drilled a shot into the far post, beating Leganes keeper Ivan Cuellar.

Madrid's go-ahead score was a thing a beauty.

Kovacic passed to an oncoming Benzema, who split two defenders on a pass to Casemiro. Casemiro reconnected with Benzema on a give and go. Benzema received the pass back and fired it to Vazquez at the top of the box. He crossed the ball again, finding Casemiro on the far post. Casemiro fired a shot into the near post, badly beating Cuellar.

The goal featured five first-touch passes.

"We were focussed tonight and I feel good about it all. We came back well and need to keep on in the same vein," Casemiro said after the match, according to RealMadrid.com. "The goal came from a great piece of build-up but the highlight is the way we played overall. Leganés are tough rivals at home and are doing well in LaLiga".

"It is important to get the three points when we can and keep climbing that league table. We have to keep sticking it out, there is a long way to go. We were not playing that badly before. Now we are better and the goals are coming".

The final score of the game came in the 90th minute after Kovacic was taken down in the box. Madrid defender Sergio Ramos beat Cuellar to the right side on the resulting penalty kick, for his 72nd career goal for Madrid. He was also playing in his 550th game for the La Liga power.

"I'm thrilled to have played my 550th game and to be able to contribute to the win with a goal. I couldn't ask for any more on a personal level," Ramos told the team website. "As for the penalty, whenever Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't play, if it's not Gareth then it's me who takes them. It's important to cut the deficit a bit more and these recent wins are fantastic for morale. We have to keep on in this vein."

Madrid faces Alaves at 10:15 a.m. on Saturday in a La Liga scuffle at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid.