Cristiano Ronaldo, Gonzalo Higuain and Karim Benzema scored to lead Real Madrid to a 3-0 victory over Espanyol in the Spanish league on Tuesday.
The Portugal forward had to retake a penalty in the 62nd minute but confidently tucked it into the same spot at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
With both teams reduced to 10 men, Higuain slid Ronaldo's through ball past Carlos Kameni and inside the near post in the 78th for 2-0.
Benzema replaced Higuain and capped a well-worked buildup by Lassana Diarra, as the France striker shook off two Espanyol defenders inside the area before firing past Kameni for the last in the 88th.
Madrid took the overnight lead in the standings with Valencia able to regain top spot against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, when Barcelona can also keep pace with a win over Sporting Gijon.
Madrid coach Jose Mourinho still made defensive changes with Sami Khedira replacing Oezil and Alvaro Arbeloa on for Di Maria, but that didn't keep Espanyol at bay as it kept up the pressure: Alvaro Vazquez just missed with a header, while Kameni denied Higuain in the 78th.
Kameni then tipped Ronaldo's effort wide in the 82nd and Casillas tipped Alvaro's header over the bar just after to keep Espanyol from rallying. It was reduced to nine men after Juan Forlin was sent off for protesting following the last goal.
Benzema, who was on the substitutes' bench for the fifth straight game, showed Mourinho he was ready to contribute.
"I hope I have a lot more time to score more goals," Benzema said. "I'm going to work very hard for [Mourinho]."
