Ronaldo scores twice to draw level with Raul as Real Madrid's top all-time goalscorer in comfortable 2-0 victory over Malmo in Champions League Group A match at the Swedbank Stadium.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 500th career goal to set Real Madrid on their way to a 2-0 victory over Malmo in this Champions League Group A match at the Swedbank Stadium.
The Portuguese coolly slotted past Johan Wiland after a devastating Madrid counter attack to open the scoring and he added his second in the final minute of the game to draw level with Raul as Real Madrid’s all-time record goalscorer.
Malmo had only ever scored four goals in the competition before tonight and they were always going to struggle to change those statistics against a formidable Madrid side even missing stars like James Rodriguez and Gareth Bale.
This win sees Madrid continue their impressive run of scoring in all of their last 40 Champions League group stage matches and sees them top Group A on goal difference with moneybags rivals Paris Saint Germain in second.
Malmo look set to finish bottom of their group for the second season running as they’ve sunk to their seventh defeat in eight games in this competition - they have two games against Shakhtar Donetsk to come.
Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring the opening goal his teammates Spanish defender Nacho (L) and Brazilian midfielder Casemiro (R) during the UEFA Champions League first-leg Group A football match between Malmo FF - AFP
KEY MOMENTS
16’ – CHANCE! – Benzema pulls the ball back from the byline to Ronaldo on the edge of the area but his first time shot with his instep is tame and Wiland is given a chance to get across and paw the ball away from goal.
29’ – GOAL! – Lightning counter from Madrid as Benzema lays it to Kovacic on the left in his own half. He carries it down the line and finds Isco in the middle who then nutmegs Yotun to find Ronaldo in space on the right. He drives into the box and finishes well into the corner as the goalkeeper commits himself early.
42’ – CROSSBAR! - Ronaldo heads a ball back from a deep cross and finds Carvajal who lazily half volleys it on the outside of his boot from the edge of the area. The ball flies past Wiland but comes off the frame of the goal and back out again.
51’ – CHANCE! – Carvajal crosses to Arbeloa at the far post who chests it down to Kovacic on the edge but his volley is skewed wide.
75’ – CHANCE! – Tinnerholm delivers a delicious cross from the right which drops just over a back-peddling Varane and onto Rosenberg’s head but he can only nod it just wide of the post.
90’ – GOAL! – Ronaldo tucks in from close range as Carvajal gets to the byline and steers the ball to the near post for a neat finish.
Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (2nd R) and French forward Karim Benzema (2nd L) vie for the ball with Malmo's Icelandic defender Kari Arnason (L) and defender Anton Tinnerholm during the UEFA Champions League first-leg Group A football - AFP
KEY STATS
Real Madrid have won the first ever competitive match between themselves and Malmo.
Malmo have only ever won one of their eight previous Champions League matches, 2-0 against Olympiakos in last season’s group stage
After tonight’s result all of Malmo’s Champions League home games have ended in 2-0 scorelines
Malmo have still never scored a goal against a team from Madrid in three attempts
Real Madrid have now won 126 games in the Champions League, more than anyone else
Real Madrid have won 14 of last 15 Champions League group games, drawing once Real Madrid have scored in 40 Champions League games in the group stages in a row withJuventus being the last team to keep a clean sheet against them in November 2008
Real Madrid have kept clean sheets in five of their last six away games in the Champions League
Real Madrid's Spanish defender Daniel Carvajal (R) and Malmo's Norwegian midfielder Jo Inge Berget vie for the ball during the UEFA Champions League first-leg Group A football match between Malmo FF and Real Madrid CF at the Swedbank Stadion, in Malmo, Sw - AFP
TALKING POINT
How far can Real Madrid go in this seasons Champions League? They’ve got two big games against PSG coming up but if they can top this group and avoid a strong side in the first knockout round, there’s absolutely no reason this side can’t make it to the semi-finals at least. Rafa Benitez has one of the best forward lines in the world at his disposal and a great pedigree in Europe and despite two of his top attackers missing tonight, he still made mincemeat of Malmo without getting out of second gear. There’s no reason Real Madrid can’t go all the way this season.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Cristiano Ronaldo – It’s hard to pick anyone else when the Portuguese captained the side to victory today and tormented the Malmo back four all match. Whether he was playing left, right or centrally, he was a menace and bagged his 500th and 501st career goal to boot and is now Real Madrid’s joint all-time joint goalscorer. Barely out of third gear and still the best player on the pitch.
PLAYER RATINGS
Malmo – Wiland 8, Tinnerholm 7, Arnason 6, Bengtsson 7, Yotun 6, Rodic 6, Lewicki 6, Adu 6, Berget 6, Djurdjic 6, Rosenberg 6. Subs - Carvalho 6, Eikrem 6.
Real Madrid – Navas 6, Carvajal 7, Varane 7, Nacho 7, Arbeloa 7, Casemiro 7, Kovacic 8, Kroos 8, Isco 8, Ronaldo 9, Benzema 8. Subs - Vazquez 6, Modric 7, Cheryshev 6.
MATCH IN A TWEET
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