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Ronaldo continues scoring run as Real Madrid crush Shakhtar Donetsk
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MADRID, Spain -- Three quick thoughts from the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu as Real Madrid beat Shakhtar Donetsk 4-0 in Tuesday night's Champions League Group A matchday 1 clash.
1. Routine start to competition for Real, Ronaldo
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Real Madrid were not at their best in Rafael Benitez's first European game in charge, but then they did not need to be, and Cristiano Ronaldo's second-half hat trick helped the La Liga giants to an easy win.
A mistake from Shakhtar goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov handed Karim Benzema the opening goal, and an error from the officials led to Ronaldo hammering in a second-half penalty for 2-0. At that stage a silly red card for visiting midfielder Taras Stepanenko had also made things easier for Los Blancos, and Ronaldo completed his latest treble with another penalty and close-range header.
Pyatov's howler, which came just after Madrid galactico Gareth Bale had limped off the pitch, was really the game's key moment. The Ukraine international goalkeeper should really have easily claimed Isco's cross, but he was distracted by teammate Olexandr Kucher and dropped the ball right at the feet of Benzema. The Frenchman tapped in to the empty net for his 43rd career Champions League goal -- the highest total for any player who has never taken a penalty in the competition.
With a hat trick against Shakhtar, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored eight goals in his past two matches.Ronaldo knows all about taking spot kicks, and he nervelessly rammed in both of his opportunities to move to 11 in the competition -- another of his many records. The first was given by one of the goal-line officials after Croatian referee Ivan Bebek had first turned down the Portuguese's loud claims. Replays showed the ball had clearly hit the back of Shakhtar right-back Darijo Srna. The second was clearer cut, an obvious hand-to-ball by the left full-back Marcio Azevedo.
Ronaldo finished the scoring with a classic poacher's effort after Marcelo's volley was saved by Pyatov. It took the 30-year-old Ronaldo to eight goals in his past two games -- a decent riposte to those who were talking of a drought after he was scoreless through the first four outings of the season.
Madrid have made the semifinals at least in each of the past five seasons, and their players and fans will know bigger tests lie ahead. This showing, and Paris Saint-Germain's easy win at home to Malmo in Group A's other match tonight, means the big two already look well set to qualify.
2. Bale out, Isco in
Gareth Bale, who started brightly, limped off in the first half with a calf injury.Madrid may have easily collected the three points, but Benitez will have been more worried by three injuries picked up during the game. Bale limped out with an apparent calf issue midway through the first half, and starting centre-backs Raphael Varane and Sergio Ramos both needed to be replaced in the second period.
Bale's problem came after he had again impressed in the roving No. 10 role which he has played so far this season. The Welshman's confidence appeared sky-high, and he had almost opened the scoring with an audacious 15-yard back-flick using his right foot. The injury looks particularly ill-timed for a number of reasons -- initial reports say he now faces at least two weeks out -- making him a doubt for the La Liga clash at Atletico Madrid on Sunday, Oct. 4 and Wales' huge Euro 2016 qualifiers the week afterwards.
Bale's injury is reportedly akin to the muscle issues that are currently sidelining right-back Danilo and playmaker James Rodriguez. Barcelona have also suffered a similar early-season run of problems. Not for the first time, questions will be asked about the amount of travel big clubs do during the preseason -- Madrid visited Australia, China, Germany and Norway in July and August -- although they will likely be ignored.
The injuries for Varane [knock] and Ramos [shoulder] appeared to be less serious, but Benitez will still be worried by any fitness concerns around his two favoured starting centre-backs. Experienced international Pepe and home-grown Nacho Fernandez were comfortable enough against Shakhtar's blunt attack, but bigger tests loom.
Injuries do, of course, open up opportunities for other players -- and Madrid are not short of expensive squad players. The €30-million man Mateo Kovacic came in for Bale, and the summer signing from Inter Milan showed some nice touches without doing too much either right or wrong.
More central to Madrid's play was Isco, who could be the player to most benefit from a spell out for Bale and James. Benitez had pointedly spoken at yesterday's pregame news conference about how the now 23-year-old needs to add more end product to his game.
And the Andalucian twice came close with long-range efforts, even if neither troubled Pyatov too much. A trademark shuffle made space for a perfect second-half cross which Benzema should really have headed in late on. The youngster looks set to get the games he craves over the next month.
3. Shakhtar struggling
Andriy Pyatov and Shakhtar struggled mightily at the Bernabeu on Tuesday.Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu, now 70, had scored on his only previous trip to the Bernabeu as a Dinamo Bucharest player back in 1975. But his team never really looked like doing anything similar tonight.
Lucescu's well-drilled visitors did play some nice football, and at times during the first half, they caused problems for the Madrid defence. Pyatov's howler came just when it seemed Shakhtar had a decent foothold in the game, and Madrid were worrying about Bale going off. Full-backs Srna and Azevedo kept finding space on the wings, but their crosses came to nothing. And once Stepanenko was sent off, their goose was cooked.
Shakhtar are playing their 11th group-stage campaign, but their situation has been unsurprisingly affected by the ongoing military conflict in eastern Ukraine. The loss of attacking stars Douglas Costa and Luis Adriano last summer -- after previous transfer windows had seen the likes of Willian, Fernandinho and Fernando make for Western Europe -- are clearly hurting badly.
Lucescu's new-look team do not look out of place at this stage but getting out of the group looks like a big ask even now.
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