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Real Madrid gives up two goal lead in draw with Villarreal

By Alex Butler
Villarreal's winger Samu Castillejo (L) scores during the Spanish Primera Division soccer match held between Villarreal and Real Madrid Saturday at La Ceramica stadium in Villarreal, Spain. Photo by Biel Alino/EPA-EFE
Villarreal's winger Samu Castillejo (L) scores during the Spanish Primera Division soccer match held between Villarreal and Real Madrid Saturday at La Ceramica stadium in Villarreal, Spain. Photo by Biel Alino/EPA-EFE

May 20 (UPI) -- Real Madrid surrendered a two-goal advantage in a 2-2 draw against Villarreal in a La Liga bout in Villarreal, Spain.

Madrid got scores from Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo in the bout Saturday at Estadio de la Ceramica. But Madrid allowed two second half scores to Villarreal, deadlocking the match at the final whistle.

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Madrid goalkeeper Luca Zidane -- manager Zinedine Zidane's son -- made his debut in the draw.

Bale got the first score for Madrid. He danced around a crowd of Villarreal defenders on the play, before jumping into the box and ripping a shot toward the near post with his right boot. The screamer beat at diving Andres Fernandez in the 11th minute.

Ronaldo added to the Madrid lead 21 minutes later. Isco sent a ball to his left, finding Marcelo on the edge of the box during that sequence. Marcelo then dropped a ball into Ronaldo, who headed a shot into the far post netting past Fernandez in the 32nd minute.

Madrid shut down Villarreal through the first half whistle, before the home squad mounted a comeback.

Striker Roger Martinez dipped inside the box on that play. He dribbled to his left, before getting the ball back on his right boot. Martinez then ripped a 15-yard shot upper 90, past Zidane at the far post in the 71st minute.

Zidane surrendered another score in the 85th minute. Samu Castillejo fooled the Madrid keeper on that play after receiving a beautiful ball into the box from Rodrigo Hernandez. Castillejo tapped the ball down in front of Zidane, before going to the keeper's right and finishing from a very narrow angle.

"La Liga is now over," Zinedine Zidane told reporters. "We have the Champions League to play and we're thrilled to be in the final. It shouldn't be a case of choosing."

"We want to win everything we can, but this year it wasn't possible to win La Liga and we are going all out for Champions League glory. I'm not happy with our La Liga campaign. It has been a difficult season, especially at the beginning. We were able to make things better. We know that is the case and that's that. We did other good things this year: the trophies we won at the start of the season, the Club World Cup and now we have the final still to come."

Madrid battles Liverpool in the Champions League final at 2:45 p.m. Saturday at Olimpiyskiy National Sports Complex in Kiev, Ukraine.

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