A brace by Frenchman Karim Benzema led Real Madrid to a 2-1 victory over Athletic Club to extend its dominance in the current season of the Spanish soccer league.

Havana, December 23 (RHC)-- A brace by Frenchman Karim Benzema led Real Madrid to a 2-1 victory over Athletic Club to extend its dominance in the current season of the Spanish soccer league.

As visitors at the San Mamés stadium, the Merengue side took advantage of Benzema's early goals (4′, 7′) to continue their winning pace and lead the tournament on the back of 14 wins, four draws and just one setback.

For the French striker these two goals reaffirm him at the top of the tournament's top scorers with 15 and he enters history as the fifth player of this century to score 30 or more goals in a single year after Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Suárez, Radamel Falcao and Ronaldo Nazário.

Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti's men were able to hold on to their lead against Athletic despite a penalty from midfielder Oihan Sancet (10′) and are eight points ahead of Sevilla (11-G, 5-E, 2-P) and 13 ahead of Betis (10-G, 3-E, 5-P), who are in second and third place with 38 and 33 points, respectively.

In the other match of the day, Atlético de Madrid lost 2-1 to Granada and is in fifth place with 29 points and a balance of eight wins, five draws and the same number of losses.