Las Palmas 2-2 Real Madrid: Late strike from Sergio Araujo holds Zinedine Zidane's men

By Charlotte Marsh

Sunday 25 September 2016 07:02, UK

A late goal from Las Palmas striker Sergio Araujo held Real Madrid to a 2-2 draw in La Liga on Saturday evening.

The Gran Canaria side matched their illustrious opponents for much of the game, although Zinedine Zidane's side went ahead just after the half hour mark through a Marco Asensio header.

But the hosts were level within five minutes through Pedro Tana, before Karim Benzema put Real back in front four minutes after coming on as a substitute.

Las Palmas had the last word though as another substitute in 24 year-old Araujo bundled home from a delightful Marka Livaja header into his path.

Real go back to the top of the La Liga table with the draw - although now only one point ahead of Barcelona in second - while Las Palmas stay in fifth but move on to 10 points.

Home goalkeeper Javier Varas Herrera was called into action early on as he parried a shot from Toni Kroos outside the box before making a fingertip save to push Alvaro Morata's header over the bar.

Cristiano Ronaldo could then have put his side ahead in the 15th minute but could not dig Morata's cut-back out from under his feet before his long range effort flashed wide after a lovely flick from Luka Modric.

Las Palmas started to come into their own as the half wore on with Jonathan Viera in the centre of the action, poking the ball wide before Real goalkeeper Kiko Casilla was called into action twice in quick succession to save from Tana - after a ball over the top by Viera - before the Spaniard tried his luck from distance but saw his effort saved.

Real found the breakthrough in the 33rd minute as Nacho went on a fantastic solo run down the right-hand side, before cutting in and taking on the shot that was parried into the path of Asensio who fired a header past Herrera.

But it took just five minutes for the hosts to deservedly level things up as Momo fired in a ball from the left flank, with Raphael Varane's header falling into the path of Tana who slid the ball through the box and into the back of the net.

Real started the second half quickly and could have restored their lead early on as Ronaldo raced down the left wing and found Bale at the top of the box. The Wales international fired towards goal but saw his effort saved well by Herrera, with Asensio waiting for the rebound - also kept out by the Las Palmas goalkeeper - but he was already flagged for offside.

Zidane made his first substitution in the 63rd minute as Benzema came on for Asensio and the French striker had an instant impact, his first touch seeing him poke wide from a corner before finding the back of the net four minutes later.

Morata originally slipped in Ronaldo on the left, whose shot forced a strong save from Herrera but Benzema was lurking and slotted home the rebound to see Real back ahead.

The visitors looked home and dry but the game had one final twist as Las Palmas deservedly snatched a point in the 85th minute. Tanu delivered a lovely ball into the box that found the head of Livaja, who cushioned the ball into the path of Araujo and saw him bundle it over the line to send the Estadio Gran Canaria into raptures.

Real could twice have won it in injury time, with Benzema hitting way over the bar before Isco also headed over to leave the visitors having to settle for a point.