MADRID, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Toni Kroos scored a goal and set up one for Eder Militao as Real Madrid beat second-bottom Cadiz 2-1 on Thursday in their last LaLiga match before the World Cup break.
The champions returned to winning ways after losing 3-2 to Rayo Vallecano on Monday, their first league defeat of the season, and are second in the standings on 35 points, two behind leaders Barcelona
There was an end-of-the-season feel on a chilly night at Santiago Bernabeu with the World Cup starting in less then two weeks and the game was not a classic.
Cadiz were in ultra defensive mode and Real Madrid struggled to break them down.
Cadiz nearly took a shock lead when defender Alfonso Espino fired a long-range shot that clipped the bar before going over, giving goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois a real scare.
Real opened the scoring in the 40th minute when Kroos delivered a perfect deep cross from a short corner on the left touchline that found Militao who headed into the empty net.