PLZEN, Czech Republic (Reuters) - Real Madrid took a huge step towards clinching a spot in the Champions League knockout stage on Wednesday with a 5-0 rout of Viktoria Plzen as Karim Benzema scored two of four first-half goals for the Spanish giants.
Benzema opened the scoring in the 20th minute when he beat two defenders before slipping a shot through the legs of Plzen goalkeeper Ales Hruska.
Casemiro doubled the lead three minutes later when the Brazilian outjumped his marker and headed home from a corner.
An unmarked Benzema notched his second goal in the 37th minute with a redirected header assisted by Gareth Bale to give Real a 3-0 lead and Benzema returned the favour minutes later when he flicked on a cross for Bale to sweep home a volley.
Toni Kroos completed the scoring in the 67th minute when he cooly chipped over the keeper after a counter-attack.
With two games remaining in Group G Real Madrid are in second spot, level on nine points with AS Roma.
(Reporting by Robert Muller, Writing by Michael Kahn, Editing by Martyn Herman)