Real Madrid stumble against Numancia but reach Cup quarters

Troubled Spanish champion Real Madrid stumbled to a 2-2 draw with third tier Numancia Wednesday but qualified for the King's Cup quarter-final 5-2 on aggregate. With a comfortable first-leg advantage, Zinedine Zidane rested much of his first team, making 10 changes from the line-up that struggled to a disappointing draw at Celta Vigo Sunday to fall 16 points behind league leader Barcelona. Real opened the scoring in the 11th minute, Vazquez heading home Dani Carvajal’s deep cross when left unmarked at the back post. Numancia hit back in the 45th minute, however, with substitute Guillermo, just on for the injured Higinio Marin, applying the finishing touch to a stunning breakaway goal. Dani Nieto charged into space and fed Marc Mateu on the left, who delivered the perfect low cross for Guillermo to finish and delight the small band of travelling fans at Santiago Bernabeu.

Lucas Vázquez has now been directly involved in 6 goals in his last 6 cup appearances for Real Madrid:

2 goals ⚽ 4 assists ?️ Deadlock broken. pic.twitter.com/jEwfACDh1m — Squawka Football (@Squawka) January 10, 2018

Vazquez, who won two penalties for Real in the first leg, slammed home his second from close range in the 59th minute, but Guillermo pegged back Real again with a brilliant header to cap a superb display and a fine result for his team. Numancia's Dani Calvo was sent off in the dying minutes for a cynical foul to stop Isco that earned him a second yellow card. Earlier, Leganes reached the quarter-final for the first time in their history after losing 2-1 at Villarreal but progressing on away goals after their 1-0 first-leg win at Butarque. Leganes winger Nabil el Zhar scored a delicious chip to break the deadlock, with Dani Raba’s well-taken strike and Denis Cheryshev’s late winner completing a Villarreal comeback that was not enough to send the host through. Last season's King's Cup runners-up Alaves beat third division Fomentera 2-0 to wrap up a 5-1 aggregate win thanks to second-half goals from Ermedin Demirovic and Alfonso Pedraza.

? Ten changes from Sunday's clash in Vigo for tonight's cup match! Here's tonight starting XI to face @cdnumancia. VAMOS! ? #RMMovistar | #RMCopa pic.twitter.com/FeZshOntSK

— Real Madrid C.F.?? (@realmadriden) January 10, 2018

Thursday, Levante host Espanyol, Cadiz travel to Sevilla and holder Barca welcome Celta to the Nou Camp. RESULTS Alaves 2 (Demirovic 55, Pedraza 90+1) Formentera 0 Alaves win 5-1 on aggregate Villarreal 2 (Raba 48, Cheryshev 89) Leganes 1 (El Zhar 31) Aggregate score 2-2, Leganes through on away goals Real Madrid 2 (Vazquez 10, 59) Numancia 2 (Guillermo 45, 82) Real Madrid win 5-2 on aggregate   THURSDAY'S MATCHES Levante v Espanyol, Sevilla v Cadiz and Barcelona v Celta