Real Madrid seize the advantage against Elche

Andy West 09:31 23/02/2015
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Ronaldo nets again for Madrid.

    Real Madrid moved four points clear at the summit of La Liga with an ultimately comfortable victory over Elche.

    – Omar Abdulrahman celebrates new deal with lifetime Al Ain pledge
    – EPL: Harry Kane rescues Tottenham draw, Liverpool win at Southampton

    After a frustrating first half which saw Cristiano Ronaldo squander numerous chances, the scoring was opened by Karim Benzema early in the second period, before Ronaldo made sure of the points with a bullet header.

    It was a convincing display from Carlo Ancelotti’s side – in the Italian’s 100th match in charge – completing a great weekend following Barcelona’s defeat to Malaga.

     While Madrid may not be firing on all cylinders this was an important three points to reassert their position after a wobble in recent weeks. 

    Los Blancos had plenty of chances to go ahead in the first half, with nearly all of them falling to a notably struggling Ronaldo.

    The first opportunity came when Karim Benzema pounced on hesitant defending to find Ronaldo, whose curling shot from the edge of the box clipped the outside of the right upright.

    With the visitors exerting constant pressure, Elche goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton was forced into his first save when Ronaldo exchanged passes with Isco before trying his luck from long range, forcing the Polish stopper to dive to his left and parry.

    And Ronaldo really should have opened the scoring after 18 minutes, when Gareth Bale embarked upon one of many surges down the right wing and delivered a low centre across the face of goal. 

    Ronaldo should have easily tapped it home, but he didn’t anticipate the arrival of the ball and it bounced awkwardly off his right foot to safety.

    Soon after Bale had another pacey burst ended by a foul and when Toni Kroos sent the free-kick into the middle, it dropped invitingly for Ronaldo but the Portuguese sent his free header wide.

    Elche, who created no clear chances whatsoever in the first half, survived another close call shortly before the break when Bale delivered a diagonal cross and Benzema showed wonderful technique to guide home an exquisite overhead volley, but the goal was wrongly ruled out for offside.

    The long-threatened opener finally arrived with more than a hint of fortune 10 minutes into the second period. Ronaldo escaped down the left wing and raced into the box to deliver a low cross, David Lomban attempted to clear but the ball rebounded off the diving Tyton and fell straight to Benzema for a simple tap-in from two yards.

    With the hosts showing no sign of getting back into the game, Madrid continued to press forward and yet another attempt from Ronaldo – this time a 25-yard dipping drive – forced a low save from Tyton before Bale mis-hit a long-range effort wide.

    And with a sense of inevitability, Ronaldo finally found his range midway through the second period, running onto a pinpoint cross from Isco and powering an unstoppable header into the top corner from 12 yards.

    La Liga’s top scorer nearly had another within five minutes after his dangerous run was ended with a foul on the edge of the box, and he whipped a low free-kick – his ninth shot of the night – just wide.

    Elche were well beaten and the only question was whether the comfortable visitors would add further goals, but they settled for what they already had.

    Recommended