Benzema with brace as Real crushed Plzen

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Karim Benzema's first-half brace propelled Real Madrid to a 5-0 thrashing of Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League on Wednesday, putting the holders one win from the last 16 after a third straight victory under Santiago Solari.
Former Real midfielder Solari took over from the sacked Julen Lopetegui as interim coach on October 29, and has now seen his side score 11 times without reply following wins over Melilla and Real Valladolid.
"I think we played a very nice game today, we scored wonderful goals," Solari told reporters. "A 5-0 win in the Champions League -- I can only be happy with that."
The 42-year-old Argentinian dismissed questions about his possible future as Real's head coach.
"I only think about the next game. Football is about the present and it's the next game that matters," he said, with a trip to Celta Vigo on Sunday next up for Real.
Benzema struck first in the 21st minute on Wednesday, weaving his way through the Plzen defence and beating goalkeeper Ales Hruska with a low shot.
Casemiro made it two shortly afterwards by nodding in a Toni Kroos corner, and Benzema headed home himself in the 37th minute after Gareth Bale had found him unmarked just yards out.
Bale scored five minutes before half-time, beating Hruska with a low left-footed shot at his far post following Benzema's flick-on header.
Kroos rounded off the scoring in the 68th minute, curling a sumptuous lob over the stranded Hruska following a pass from rising star Vinicius Junior, who came on as a second-half substitute.
The 18-year-old Brazilian, signed from Flamengo for €45 million in the close season, made his Champions League debut after scoring his maiden La Liga goal against Valladolid at the weekend.
Real are now level with Roma at the top of Group G on nine points, after the Italians' 2-1 win at CSKA Moscow earlier on Wednesday. CSKA are third with four points, while Plzen sit at the bottom and are out of contention to progress.
Real were without the injured Marcelo and fellow defenders Raphael Varane and Dani Carvajal, who did not travel to Plzen, a western Czech city famous for its lager beer.

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