JOIN USReal fire singes Galatasaray
Real Madrid’s pursuit of a tenth European crown continues to gather momentum after they dismissed Galatasaray 3-0 at home in their Champions League quarterfinal first leg on Wednesday.
The finishing of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain put the last eight’s outsiders Galatasaray firmly in their place, despite bold pre-match talk that they would take the game to the Jose Mourinho’s men.
The gulf in class was evident and Portugal’s Ronaldo pulled away onto Mesut Ozil’s through ball to net with a cool lob after only nine minutes, to become the tournament’s leading scorer with nine goals.
Benzema slotted the ball inside Fernando Muslera's near post for the second after 29 minutes and substitute Higuain flicked a header into the top corner at a freekick in the 73rd.
Galatasaray, backed by raucous support, rarely threatened but when they did keeper Diego Lopez was on hand for the hosts as they kept a first clean sheet of the competition.
There was a crackling atmosphere at the Bernabeu thanks to Galatasaray’s impressive number of red and orange draped travelling supporters.
Mourinho sprang a surprise from the start, positioning Michael Essien at right back instead of Alvaro Arbeloa and the move appeared to pay off as the hosts bossed the game.
Benzema headed just over the bar, and in the ninth minute a swift move led to Ozil bisecting the centre-backs with a diagonal ball and Ronaldo raced through to lift his finish over Fernando Muslera.
He celebrated with his standard ‘calm down, I am here’ gesture after netting in his fourth consecutive Champions League match, equalling his personal best run which he set in April-October 2012.
Essien’s cross from right went over two defenders more worried about Ronaldo in the 29th, and the ball fell at Benzema's feet. He slotted the ball low inside the keeper’s near post.
Ivorian striker Didier Drogba, who played under Mourinho at Chelsea, showed flashes of his old self and was Galatasaray’s main threat in the first period.
Drogba’s clever turn after 12 minutes left him free on the edge of the area but he fired wastefully high and wide when he had more time than he realised.
A long-range effort was straight at Lopez, and he then danced past Sergio Ramos to set up Burak Yilmaz, but the striker volleyed wide.
Just before halftime the visitors carved their clearest chance, Drogba playing a one-two with Emmanuel Eboue, but the fullback’s low shot with the only the keeper to beat was stopped by Lopez’s outstretched boot.
Real continued to look dangerous on the break, Ronaldo and Angel Di Maria testing Muslera but the hosts visibly withered after the third goal when Xabi Alonso’s whipped in freekick was flicked past the keeper.
Malaga still alive
Debutants Malaga kept their Champions League dream very much alive when they held Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund to a 0-0 draw at the Rosaleda. Malaga goalkeeper Willy Caballero was in inspired form for the Qatar-owned La Liga club and the home side created several chances in an entertaining clash between two attack-minded sides.
Dortmund’s Mario Goetze was twice clean through on goal in the first half but was unable to get the better of Caballero and the Germany international skewed a shot wide when well placed 25 minutes from time. Isco had Malaga’s best chance in the 66th minute when he smashed a first-time shot through a crowd of players but Dortmund keeper Roman Weidenfeller punched the ball away to leave the teams goalless ahead of Tuesday's return leg in Germany.
Malaga had the first clear chance of the match in the seventh minute when Javier Saviola found space in the area but sent his close-range effort wide of Weidenfeller’s left post.
Dortmund gradually began to assert themselves and after Willy had twice denied Goetze, Martin Demichelis sprinted across to steal the ball from Robert Lewandowski as he bore down on goal.
Malaga captain Weligton, who was booked in the 31st minute and will be suspended for the second leg, forced Weidenfeller into a sharp save three minutes before the break before Caballero palmed away a powerful Sebastian Kehl drive. Dortmund were immediately on the attack in the second half and Lewandowski fluffed a shot when well placed in the 47th minute.
As the match wore on and the Dortmund players began to tire Malaga were able to exert more control and there were far fewer scoring chances as both teams tempered their attacking instincts to avoid conceding a late goal.