Real Madrid took a huge step towards clinching a spot in the UEFA Champions League knockout stage on Wednesday (Nov 7) with a 5-0 rout of Viktoria Plzen as Karim Benzema scored two of four first-half goals for the Spanish giants.
Real Madrid scored four first-half goals to cruise past Viktoria Plzen and go top of Champions League Group G. Karim Benzema opened the scoring with his 200th club goal before Casemiro doubled the visitors' advantage.
Benzema then headed a second from close range before Gareth Bale rounded off the half with a left-footed strike.
Madrid were dominate throughout and Toni Kroos added an impressive fifth after the break when he chipped Ales Hruska from inside the area.
Victory for the holders was new manager Santiago Solari's third consecutive win since taking charge, after Julen Lopetegui was sacked last month.
The La Liga side can qualify for the knockout stages with a draw against Roma in their next game, should CSKA Moscow fail to beat Plzen.
Madrid beat Plzen 2-1 at home last month with Julen Lopetegui at the helm before the former coach was sacked three months into his first season in charge after Real were thrashed by arch-rivals F. C. Barcelona.
The loss was Plzen's second 5-0 drubbing in Group G play after Roma's Edin Dzeko scored a hat-trick in leading the Italian side to an easy win in early October.
