Real round off Asia tour with a narrow win

Thailand 1 Real Madrid 2

Thailand 1 Real Madrid 2

Real Madrid waved adios to the Far East with four wins from four tour games as goals from Javier Portillo and Fernando Morientes helped them to victory over Thailand.

Thailand threatened early on and, watched by the Queen of Thailand, their defending was resolute but at times a little too aggressive.

One such indiscretion gave David Beckham a free-kick chance but his 19th-minute effort curled wide of the goalkeeper's right-hand post.

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The tackling continued to be robust and Beckham, after dodging one lunge, was caught by another near the centre-circle but rose to his feet unharmed.

On the half-hour Real took the lead. Morientes feinted his way into the box but the ball ran away from him into the path of Portillo, who slotted home a low shot from six yards.

Beckham then demonstrated his passing range as he picked out Zinedine Zidane with a tremendous crossfield ball from right to left in the 38th minute.

The Frenchman instantly controlled the floated pass but his powerful shot was parried at the near post by Kittisak Rawangpa.

Nived Siriwong had Thailand's best chance of the half and his long-range shot was pushed wide by Iker Casillas.

Portillo broke clear in the 55th minute but his weak shot was saved. The goalkeeper was called upon again to parry a low shot from Morientes and Thanongsak Pajakata almost sliced the rebound into his own net.

Neat work down the left between Zidane and Roberto Carlos gave Beckham room to cross from the left but Morientes' cushioned volley from close range went wide.

Thailand almost gifted Real a second in the 61st minute when Thanongsak's backpass was miskicked by the substitute goalkeeper, who appeared to manhandle Morientes as he eventually got the ball clear.

The sense of injustice was even more keenly felt when Thailand equalised seconds later as substitute Sutee Suksomkit finished well after latching on to a through-ball.

Within three minutes Morientes restored Real's lead. Zidane's shot was deflected into the path of Guti and he unselfishly squared the ball to Morientes, who had an easy tap-in.

Beckham was given a well-earned rest as Raul and Claude Makelele came on, the former going close in the 70th minute after he stepped over the ball and raced on to a slide-rule return pass from Zidane.

The Frenchman was at the heart of everything and he played another one-two with Santiago Solari, whose powerful low shot was straight at the goalkeeper.

Real began to pull out the party pieces and Guti scooped a pass into the path of right-back Michel Salgado but his spectacular scissors kick flew way over the top with nine minutes to go.

Solari again worked for an opening and his 88th-minute effort was pushed away at the near post.