HIGUAIN SCORES, BUT REAL MADRID WIN

Real Madrid win the XXXIX edition of the Santiago Bernabeu Trophy with a 3-1 final score. This footballing classic was an entertaining match that highlighted the qualities of Los Merengues and showed that the Rossoneri are on the right track to play a good season. It was the night of Gonzalo Higuain's debut, all eyes were on the Argentinian "crack" who scored a stunning goal only four minutes into the game after Real had taken the lead. Il Diavolo fall to Benzema, Bale and Myoral's goals although playing well in this final pre-season game and can be pleased with the good overall performance of the team and another debut, with Mattia Caldara coming on in the second half. Gattuso's boys reacted immediately to Madrid taking the lead and - especially in the first 45' - went close on several occasions. Surely an opportunity to learn from tonight's mistakes and to put the corrections in place against Genoa, in our Serie A opening game, Sunday 19th at 8.30pm at the San Siro.

SEE THE BEST IMAGES OF THE NIGHT: SCROLL THROUGH THE GALLERY

THE MATCH

Ready, steady, goal. Benzema heads it home from the six-yard box following a cross from Carvajal. It's only two minutes later that Higuain levels the score with a stunner from the edge of the box that beats Navas to the far post. The game is entertaining with both teams attacking and creating chances: Gigio denies Real twice, in the 5' and 14th minute, saving Bale and Asensio's efforts; Kessie's lob-shot is cleared off the line in the 23'; four minutes later it's Navas to parry Bonaventura's free-kick away, while in the 31' Isco goes this close from giving the lead to Madrid firing just wide from inside the area. The Rossoneri build-up well in the 34' with Jack who finds Suso but the Spaniard firing high. But it's just before the break that the hosts score: a mellée in the box and Bale beats Donnarumma. Gattuso makes his first change as the second spell gets underway bringing on Cutrone for Borini but the Rossoneri fail to find the equaliser: Bonaventura tries his luck twice in the space of just five minutes and then Bacca goes close. Finally, it's Cutrone who is denied by Navas in the 70'. The match heads into stoppage time and Real find the goal for 3-1 through Mayoral who pounces in Donnarumma's rebound before the ref blows the final whistle.

THE MATCH IN DETAILS

REAL MADRID 3-1 AC MILAN

REAL MADRID (4-3-3): Keylor Navas; (78' Lunin) Carvajal (78' S. López), Varane (60' Reguilón), Sergio Ramos (78' Valverde), Marcelo (46' Nacho); Kroos (60' M. Llorente), Casemiro (46' Ceballos), Isco (77' Modric); Bale (77' Lucas Vázquez), Benzema (77' Mayoral), Asensio (77' Vinicius Jr.). Subs: Casilla; Javi Sánchez; Odegaard; Raúl de Tomás. Coach: Julen Lopetegui.

AC MILAN (4-3-3): Donnarumma G.; Calabria (82' Simic), Musacchio (82' Bellanova), Romagnoli, Rodriguez (56' Caldara); Kessie, Biglia (65' Mauri), Bonaventura (56' Calhanoglu); Suso, Higuain (65' Bacca); Borini (46' Cutrone). Subs: Donnarumma A, Plizzari; Brescianini, Halilovic, Torrasi. Coach: Gennaro Gattuso.

REFEREE: Xavier Estrada Fernández.
GOALS: 2' Benzema (RM), 4' Higuain (M), 45'+1' Bale (RM), 90'+1' Mayoral (RM).

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