Real Madrid left it late to knock over Champions League opponents APOEL last night.
APOEL held wasteful Real Madrid for 74 minutes before their defence finally capitulated to suffer a 3-0 defeat in Cyprus in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.
With 16 minutes left, there was relief in the Real camp as Karim Benzema made up for his miss by nodding in a smart inswinging cross from substitute Kaka.
The lead was soon doubled and after Marcelo got the ball from Cristiano Ronaldo's backheel, the left-back passed for Kaka to calmly slot home.
And in the final minute, the weary Apoel defenders crumbled as Ronaldo and Ozil combined well on the right for poacher Benzema to smash in his second on the night and the 26th Champions League goal of his career.