Asensio gives Real Madrid a precious victory over Granada Real Madrid extended their lead with Sevilla chasing to 6 points, with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Granada on Sunday night in the 23rd round of La Liga.
Marco Asensio scored the game's only goal in the 74th minute.
Real Madrid's tally with this victory rose to 53 points, while Granada's tally was frozen at 24 points, in 16th place.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti relied on a 4-3-3 style, with David Alaba collaborating with Eder Militao deep in the back line, with the help of back-rowers Dani Carvajal and Marcelo.
Eduardo Camavinga of France was a quarterback, behind Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, while the front line was from Isco, Rodrigo and Marco Asensio.
On the other hand, Granada took refuge in a 4-4-2 way, with the back line of Quinnie, Germain Sanchez, Raul Torrenti and Carlos Neva.
Alex Collado and Antonio Puertas were on the flanks, while Luis Mila and Massim Gunalons were stationed behind attacking duo Luis Suarez and Merto Ozoni.
Granada threatened the hosts' goal in the fifth minute, when Gunalons passed a crafty ball, which Puertas waited for before firing a shot that Thibaut Courtois countered with his foot.
Isco's header bounced back from granada's defence, following Kroos' cross in the eighth minute, after which Real Madrid began to take control of the match, but without a real threat to their opponent's goal.
Asensio executed a free kick, which Militao could not reach with his head in the 23rd minute.
Real Madrid wasted a dangerous chance in the 30th minute, when Kroos sent a ball towards the far post, reaching Carvajal, who passed it in front of the goal for Isco, and halfback Neva tried to cut the ball but bounced off his crossbar.
Ozoni's weak shot settled into Courtois' hands in the 37th minute, and three minutes later, Neva's shot moved away from Real Madrid's goal.
Two minutes before the break, Asensio tried his luck with a long-range shot, which was countered ably by goalkeeper Maximiano.
Vidy Valverde entered the Real Madrid squad instead of Camavinga between the halves, and Granada continued to rely uselessly on the shot from afar, this time through Queenie in the 50th minute.
Goalkeeper Maximiano easily controlled Rodrigo's shot into the narrow corner in the 57th minute, and the Brazilian returned to return the ball in the 61st minute, but the goalkeeper had a lookout again.
It seemed clear that Real Madrid were affected by the absence of star Karim Benzema in the front line, so Ancelotti engaged Luka Jovic and Eden Hazard in place of Isco and Rodrigo.
Real Madrid got their goal in the 74th minute, when they scored through Asensio, who fired a powerful shot from 25 yards, settled to the left of the goalkeeper.
The referee awarded a penalty in favour of Real Madrid, before retracting it after using video technology, because of the offense outside the penalty area, and the free kick yielded nothing in the 74th minute.
Goalkeeper Maximiano intervened to stop a try from Asensio in the 83rd minute, before Nacho entered the Real Madrid squad in place of Marcelo.
The star of the match scored Asensio, scoring over Granada in stoppage time, before the referee blew the final whistle.