Real Madrid 4-0 Shakhtar: Cristiano Ronaldo scores a hat-trick... but Gareth Bale is forced off through injury in comprehensive win

  • French international Karim Benzema opened the scoring for Real Madrid with just over half an hour played
  • Midfielder Taras Stepanenko was then given his marching orders by the referee after receiving two yellow cards
  • Cristiano Ronaldo scored three times in second half - two from the spot as the Spanish giants turned on the style
  • But Gareth Bale was replaced in the first 45 minutes after suffering injury and will be a doubt for their next game
Cristiano Ronaldo made it eight goals in four days as Real Madrid won their opening Champions League game 4-0 against Shakhtar Donetsk, but lost Gareth Bale in the process.

The Welshman pulled up with a calf strain on 29 minutes, just as Real took the lead following a gaffe from keeper Andriy Pyatov, gratefully accepted by Karim Benzema.

After the Frenchman's opener Ronaldo took over, scoring two penalties and heading in a rebound to make it 78 Champions League goals and 321 in total, leaving him just two from breaking Real Madrid' all-time scoring record in all competitions held by Raul.
Attacker Cristiano Ronaldo bags a penalty as Real Madrid cruise to victory in Spain on Tuesday night against 10-man Shakhtar
Attacker Cristiano Ronaldo bags a penalty as Real Madrid cruise to victory in Spain on Tuesday night against 10-man Shakhtar
Real Madrid attacker Ronaldo celebrates his goal as his fellow Madrid team-mates make their way over to join him in celebration
Real Madrid attacker Ronaldo celebrates his goal as his fellow Madrid team-mates make their way over to join him in celebration
Ronaldo takes flight in celebration as he nets against the Ukrainian side in Madrid on Tuesday night in the Champions League
Ronaldo takes flight in celebration as he nets against the Ukrainian side in Madrid on Tuesday night in the Champions League
Bale will have tests on his calf on Wednesday and Madrid also had to take off Raphael Varane at half time with a knock on the ankle and Sergio Ramos in the second half with a shoulder problem. They join full-back Danilo and James Rodriguez on a lengthening injury list.

But injuries aside it was satisfying night for Rafa Benitez on his Champions League debut as Real Madrid coach.

His team had to scrap for first-half supremacy against the impressive Ukrainian champions but things were made easier for them in the second half when midfielder Taras Stepanenko was sent off for a second yellow card and when Real Madrid were gifted a scandalous penalty after Darijo Srna had blocked Ronaldo's shot with his back but was adjudged to have handled.
Ronaldo's powerful late header earns him his third goal of the game as Real Madrid smash four past their opposition in Madrid
Ronaldo's powerful late header earns him his third goal of the game as Real Madrid smash four past their opposition in Madrid
Portugal international Ronaldo celebrates after continuing his insanely impressive goalscoring run in the Champions League clash
Portugal international Ronaldo celebrates after continuing his insanely impressive goalscoring run in the Champions League clash
Attacking duo Ronaldo and Karim Benzema celebrate following the Frenchman's opener in Madrid against the Ukrainian outfit
Attacking duo Ronaldo and Karim Benzema celebrate following the Frenchman's opener in Madrid against the Ukrainian outfit
Frenchman Benzema wheels away in celebration after opening the scoring for Madrid at the Bernabeu Stadium in front of the crowds
Frenchman Benzema wheels away in celebration after opening the scoring for Madrid at the Bernabeu Stadium in front of the crowds
Benzema's effort ripples the net as the French striker opens the scoring for Spanish giants Real Madrid in the 4-0 victory
Benzema's effort ripples the net as the French striker opens the scoring for Spanish giants Real Madrid in the 4-0 victory
French international Benzema punches the air after opening the scoring for Real Madrid against Shakhtar at the Bernabeu
French international Benzema punches the air after opening the scoring for Real Madrid against Shakhtar at the Bernabeu
Tuesday night's Match Zone shows how many passes Real Madrid strung together as Benzema gave them the lead in Madrid
Tuesday night's Match Zone shows how many passes Real Madrid strung together as Benzema gave them the lead in Madrid
Real Madrid star Gareth Bale was forced off with a suspected calf injury in the first half of their Champions League match with Shakhtar
Real Madrid star Gareth Bale was forced off with a suspected calf injury in the first half of their Champions League match with Shakhtar

Ronaldo scored the spot kick and thundered home another penalty shortly afterwards before nodding in a saved Marcelo shot.
The margin flattered them but they deserved their win having started strongly with Modric feeding Ronaldo who turned cleverly inside the area before threading a pass through for Benzema. Some how, having rounded the keeper and with the goal gaping, he blazed over.

Ronaldo then shot just wide after bringing down Marcelo's deep cross and Bale also missed from the edge of the six-yard box. All of the home side's front three had missed opportunities and Madrid were attacking with fluidity and imagination and it looked only a matter of time before they took the lead.
Bale heads straight down the tunnel after picking up an injury in Real Madrid's victory on Tuesday night in the Champions League
Bale heads straight down the tunnel after picking up an injury in Real Madrid's victory on Tuesday night in the Champions League

MATCH FACTS 

REAL MADRID: Navas, Carvajal, Varane (Pepe - 46'), Ramos (Nacho - 59'), Marcelo, Modric, Kroos, Isco, Bale (Kovacic - 32'), Ronaldo, Benzema
GOALS: Benzema 30, Ronaldo 55, 63, 81
SKAKHTAR: Pyatov, Srna, Kucher, Rakitskiy, Azevedo, Fred, Stepanenko, Marlos (Kovalenko - 75'), Teixeira, Taison (Malyshev - 67'), Gladkiy (Bernard - 83')
SENT OFF: Taras Stepanenko

When they did Bale had already hobbled off clutching his right calf. He was having ice-treatment on the sidelines as Isco hung a cross into the area on the half hour and the advancing Shakhtar Donetsk keeper Pyatov made a mess of it. 
Possibly put off by his own back-pedaling defender Yaroslav Rakitskiy, he spilled the ball at the feet of Benzema who this time really couldn't miss and rolled it into an empty net.

Shakhtar were giving as good as they were getting with fast breaks down the left where full-back Márcio Azevedo was over-lapping with menace. 
They looked like a team already well into their season with the impressive Stepanenko snapping into tackles in midfield. He snapped into one too many and picked up his first booking.

It was a measure of how well they were playing that a concerned Rafa Benetiz switched to 4-4-2 after Bale's injury replacing him with central midfielder Mateo Kovačić.

He had to make another change at half time when Varane failed to reappear. Madrid sailed through the second period however helped by a second yellow for Stepanenko and the penalty wrongly given against Srna who was booked for protesting. 
The referee had at first waved away Madrid appeals but had his mind changed by the extra official on the goal line.
Rafa Benitez gets vocal as he watches his Real Madrid side ease to a Champions League victory on Tuesday with a 4-0 win on the night
Rafa Benitez gets vocal as he watches his Real Madrid side ease to a Champions League victory on Tuesday with a 4-0 win on the night

RONALDO V MESSI

Ronaldo Champions League goals: 80
Messi Champions League goals: 77
(Barcelona face Roma on Wednesday night)

Madrid scored a third on 63 minutes when Azevedo handled in the area. This time the match officials got their decision right and Ronaldo dispatched into the same corner for goal number 77 in this competition. Goal 78 followed soon afterwards with Ronaldo's header beating Pyatov after he had saved Marcelo's shot.

The third and fourth goals were harsh on the away side who had been undone by goalkeeping howler and a referee's mistake early on. They might have grabbed a late consolation but Keylor Navas saved brilliantly tipping a deflected shot over the bar.
This group will still be tough for Real Madrid and Benitez will not want any more injuries but this was a fine start and Ronaldo, who moved three clear of Leo Messi as the competition's top scorer, is now just a brace from becoming Real Madrid's greatest ever striker.
Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos also sustained injury during the win and like Bale was replaced by manager Benitez
Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos also sustained injury during the win and like Bale was replaced by manager Benitez

0/Post a Comment/Comments