Leganes score moral victory, Real Madrid get berth in Copa quarters

Leganes supporters rose to their feet after a 1-0 win against Spanish football giants Real Madrid in the second leg of a Copa del Rey round-of-16 tie, even though it will be the Blancos who advance in the tournament 3-1 on aggregate.

For the first time, fans at Butarque stadium in suburban Madrid got to savour a triumph over the colossus of the capital on Wednesday, reports Efe news.

Real Madrid started the night practically assured of going through to the quarterfinals after winning the first leg 3-0, while Leganes were playing for pride.

The only goal came at the half-hour mark from Martin Braithwaite, who recently joined Leganes on loan from English club Middlesbrough. The Denmark international scored on the rebound after Blancos keeper Keylor Navas made the initial stop against Sabin Merino.

Braithwaite went on to get two more chances in the second half and Merino tested Navas in the 84th minute.

--IANS

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