MADRID (AP) ― Real Madrid advanced to a likely Copa del Rey quarterfinal matchup against Barcelona after Malaga goalkeeper Willy Caballero’s error gave the defending champions a 1-0 victory on Tuesday.
Caballero’s standout performance was spoiled when he tried to hold Karim Benzema’s low shot but let it slip through his arms and between his legs in the 72nd minute, sending Madrid through 4-2 on aggregate.
Caballero slammed his hands on the ground in frustration after the goal, which was Benzema’s fourth goal in three games and came from his first touch after having replaced Gonzalo Higuain minutes earlier.
The goalkeeper had been unbeatable before that, tipping Cristiano Ronaldo’s point-blank header over the bar in the 63rd minute.
“We played an intelligent game tonight. It was a difficult series and we showed a lot of effort to win it,” Madrid coach Jose Mourinho said.
Madrid seems certain to face Barcelona in the last eight with the Catalans enjoying a 4-0 lead against Osasuna heading into Thursday’s return away leg.
Crystal Palace’s Anthony Gardner (top) heads in his side’s opening goal. (AP-Yonhap News)
If Barcelona advances, the two-legged series would mean another pair of “clasicos,” bringing the total to nine in about nine months. Madrid’s sole victory in its past 12 matches against its biggest rival was last season’s cup final.
Madrid defender Alvaro Arbeloa was sent off after being booked for the second time in the 88th, and Malaga midfielder Jeremy Toulalan nearly scored from a header two minutes later.
Mourinho said midfielder Sami Khedira was not badly injured despite leaving the game in the first half clutching his right leg.
England
Crystal Palace took a step toward its first major final in 22 years by beating Cardiff 1-0 Tuesday night in the first leg of the League Cup semifinals on Anthony Gardner’s 43rd-minute header.
Gardner’s goal at Selhurst Park was his first in more than a year. The second leg is at Cardiff in two weeks.
Cardiff’s Kenny Miller had a goal contentiously disallowed in the second half for a foul on goalkeeper Julian Speroni.
Palace’s last major final was a 1-0 loss to Manchester United in the 1990 FA Cup.
Italy
Hernanes scored in second-half stoppage time, and Lazio beat visiting Verona 3-2 to advance to the Italian Cup quarterfinals.
Lazio took a 2-0 lead against the second-division opponent on goals by Andre Dias in the 44th minute and Tommaso Rocchi in the 57th, but Verona rallied on goals by Emanuele Berrettoni in the 61st and Marco D’Alessandro in the 74th.
Lazio next plays AC Milan or Novara, who meet next week.
France
Mathieu Valbuena scored twice as two-time defending champion Marseille won 3-0 at Caen to reach the French League Cup semifinals.
Valbuena scored on a curling free kick in the seventh minute, Loic Remy connected on a volley in the 21st and Valbuena got the final goal in the 52nd.
In Wednesday’s quarterfinals, it’s Nice vs. Dijon, Le Mans vs. Lorient and Lyon vs. Lille.
