Gareth Bale scores as Real Madrid close in on last 16

Gareth Bale scored his first Champions League goal for Real Madrid as they drew with Juventus to move closer to qualifying for the knockout stages.

Arturo Vidal's penalty put the Italians ahead, before Cristiano Ronaldo equalised from Karim Benzema's pass.

Bale, 24, who was signed from Tottenham for a world record fee of £85.3m (100m euros) in August, hammered in a low shot to put Real 2-1 ahead on the hour.

But Fernando Llorente's stooping header secured a precious draw for the hosts.

Real Madrid need just a point from their final two group games to be sure of a place in the last 16, and a healthy goal difference may make even that unnecessary.

By contrast, Juventus may need to win both their remaining matches to ensure qualification after a slow start to their campaign in Group B.

Group goal-grabbers

• Cristiano Ronaldo's eighth goal in this year's group matches equals a record for this stage of the competition jointly held by Ruud van Nistelrooy, Filippo Inzaghi and Hernan Crespo.
• However, Paris St-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is also in contention to beat their mark - having scored seven in the current campaign.

Draws away to Copenhagen and at home to Galatasaray in their first two games, along with a 2-1 defeat in the reverse fixture in the Bernabeu, left the Bianconeri with no choice but to chase the game from the start.

Real Madrid initially revelled in the space that opened up with Ronaldo and Bale - two points of a three-pronged attack alongside Karim Benzema - both threatening on the break.

However, the industry of Paul Pogba and Carlos Tevez dragged the momentum the Italian side's way and after Iker Casillas had saved brilliantly from Claudio Marchisio's header, Pogba was felled in the box by an untidy challenge by fellow Frenchman Raphael Varane.

Vidal beat Casillas with a nerveless strike from the penalty spot and the home fans were bouncing in the stands as their side re-emerged for the second half.

Real soon dampened that enthusiasm, as Ronaldo ruthlessly punished Martin Caceres's wayward pass before Bale scored his first Champions League goal since registering a hat-trick in Spurs' 4-3 defeat to Inter Milan in October 2010.

The Welshman collected Ronaldo's square pass, bought himself a yard of space with a swift change of feet and sent a fierce, low shot inside Gianluigi Buffon's near post.

But Llorente, who moved to Juventus for free in the summer after a year spent running down his contract with Athletic Bilbao, exploited another error by Varane to equalise shortly after.

The French defender was caught ball-watching as Llorente spun away from him to meet Caceres's deep cross and keep Real waiting on their passage to the next round.

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Juventus

Formation 4-1-4-1

1Buffon

4Cáceres22Asamoah21Pirlo15Barzagli

19Bonucci

8Marchisio23Vidal14Llorente6Pogba

10Tévez

• 1Buffon
• 4Cáceres
• 22Asamoah
• 21PirloBooked at 44mins
• 15Barzagli
• 19BonucciBooked at 72mins
• 8Marchisio
• 23Vidal
• 14LlorenteSubstituted forGiovincoat 88'minutes
• 6Pogba
• 10TévezSubstituted forQuagliarellaat 82'minutes

Substitutes

• 5Ogbonna
• 11De Ceglie
• 12Giovinco
• 20Padoin
• 27Quagliarella
• 30Storari
• 33Isla

Real Madrid

Formation 4-3-3

1Casillas

4Ramos12Marcelo14Alonso2Varane

3Pepe6Khedira19Modric

9Benzema11Bale7Cristiano Ronaldo

• 1Casillas
• 4Ramos
• 12Marcelo
• 14AlonsoSubstituted forIllarramendiat 71'minutes
• 2VaraneBooked at 41mins
• 3Pepe
• 6Khedira
• 19ModricBooked at 35mins
• 9BenzemaSubstituted forRodríguez Ruizat 81'minutes
• 11BaleSubstituted forDi Maríaat 75'minutes
• 7Cristiano Ronaldo

Substitutes

• 15Carvajal
• 17Arbeloa
• 20Rodríguez Ruiz
• 22Di María
• 23Isco
• 24Illarramendi
• 25López

Referee:

Howard Webb

Attendance:

40,696

Match Stats

Home TeamJuventusAway TeamReal Madrid

Possession

Home46%

Away54%

Shots

Home24

Away17

Shots on Target

Home12

Away4

Corners

Home7

Away3

Fouls

Home10

Away8

Live Text

1. Post update

   Match ends, Juventus 2, Real Madrid 2.

2. 90'+4'

   Full Time

   Second Half ends, Juventus 2, Real Madrid 2.

3. 90'+1'

   Post update

   Attempt blocked. Ángel Di María (Real Madrid) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Luka Modric.

4. 90'

   Post update

   Attempt saved. Fabio Quagliarella (Juventus) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Sebastian Giovinco.

5. 89'

   Post update

   Offside, Real Madrid. Sami Khedira tries a through ball, but Cristiano Ronaldo is caught offside.

6. 88'

   Substitution

   Substitution, Juventus. Sebastian Giovinco replaces Fernando Llorente.

7. 86'

   Post update

   Offside, Juventus. Andrea Pirlo tries a through ball, but Fabio Quagliarella is caught offside.

8. 84'

   Post update

   Pepe (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

9. 84'

   Post update

   Foul by Fernando Llorente (Juventus).

10. 83'

    Post update

    Foul by Jesé (Real Madrid).

11. 83'

    Post update

    Kwadwo Asamoah (Juventus) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

12. 83'

    Post update

    Attempt saved. Fabio Quagliarella (Juventus) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.

13. 82'

    Substitution

    Substitution, Juventus. Fabio Quagliarella replaces Carlos Tévez.

14. 81'

    Substitution

    Substitution, Real Madrid. Jesé replaces Karim Benzema.

15. 81'

    Post update

    Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Leonardo Bonucci.

16. 78'

    Post update

    Attempt saved. Carlos Tévez (Juventus) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Andrea Pirlo.

17. 78'

    Post update

    Foul by Pepe (Real Madrid).

18. 78'

    Post update

    Arturo Vidal (Juventus) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

19. 75'

    Substitution

    Substitution, Real Madrid. Ángel Di María replaces Gareth Bale.

20. 75'

    Post update

    Foul by Pepe (Real Madrid).

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