Karim Benzema smashed the ball into the roof of the net in second-half stoppage time to give Real Madrid a 1-1 draw at Valencia in La Liga on Sunday.

Carlos Soler looked to have given the hosts the win with a clinical close-range finish late in the second half, but Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois's header from a corner kick forced a save and allowed Benzema to score.

Real substitute Luka Jovic looked to have levelled in stoppage time but the effort was ruled out for offside.

The visitors, however, refused to cave in and Courtois came up to contest a corner in a last ditch effort to salvage a point.

The Belgian headed towards goal and forced opposite number Jaume Domenech to parry the ball away and Benzema was on hand to steer the ball home on the rebound.

The goal prevented Valencia from climbing up to sixth in the standings and they were instead left in eighth on 27 points.

The result sees Real Madrid stay level with Barcelona atop the La Liga table after the Catalans drew 2-2 with Real Sociedad on Saturday.

Barcelona host Real Madrid on Wednesday in a Clasico after the originally scheduled match in October was postponed due to political protests in Catalonia.