Karim Benzema's Goal Edges Real Madrid Past Sevilla in La Liga

Karim Benzema headed in the winner to help Real Madrid inflict Sevilla's first defeat of the season in La Liga on Sunday. Benzema met Dani Carvajal's cross in the 64th minute to ensure Los Blancos left the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium with a 1-0 victory.

By taking all three points, the visitors beat the team that had set the early pace domestically under former Real manager Julen Lopetegui, who was sacked last October.

A cagey first half produced few chances, but Hazard did go close on 36 minutes. The former Chelsea wing tricked and weaved his way into a one-on-one shooting opportunity, but he found Sevilla goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik in no mood to be beaten.

Vaclik was in stubborn form again moments later when he denied raiding right-back Dani Carvajal.

While Vaclik proved the difference between the two teams at the break, Sevilla needed to up the pace of play after the restart. The hosts looked to substitutes Oliver Torres and Javier Hernandez for greater tempo, but the game continued to descend into a dour scrap.

Torres has been introduced for the disappointing Franco Vazquez, but his arrival inspired little change in the pedestrian way Sevilla moved the ball. Instead, it was Real winning the midfield battle, with Toni Kroos never shying away from responsibility in possession.

Kroos had been amply supported by Casemiro and James Rodriguez, with the trio making up for a tame display during Wednesday's 3-0 defeat away to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League.

Their efforts were supplemented by a lively Hazard, who ran Sevilla ragged at times. He drew a foul from Joan Jordan that yielded the box-to-box midfielder a yellow card.

The visitors were just about shading things, and their goal arrived on 64 minutes when Carvajal crossed for Benzema. Finishing with his head put Real's prolific No. 9 among some select company:

Sevilla struggled to muster any creativity in response despite having a host of technicians on the pitch. Neither Torres, Ever Banega nor Lucas Ocampos were able to find the answers in the final third.

Hernandez thought he had equalised against his former club two minutes from time only for the linesman's flag to rule out the finish. It left Sevilla ruing the inability of the team's creative payers to rise to the occasion.

By contrast, Real manager Zinedine Zidane was rewarded for keeping faith with many of the same players who had faltered in Paris.

What's Next?

Real host Osasuna on Wednesday, while Sevilla travel to Eibar the next day.