Ronaldo helps Real to La Liga summit
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Cristiano Ronaldo pointed the way to the top of the table as Real Madrid staged an enthralling three-goal fightback to beat Sevilla and overhaul Barcelona in front of an ecstatic 80,000 full house at the Bernabeu stadium.
"The Madrid side were able to play the kind of electric football they are capable of," admitted an admiring Sevilla coach Manolo Jimenez afterwards. "They have incredible power and speed."
Ronaldo triggered the power surge with his intervention on the hour mark, with Real trailing to Xabi Alonso's own goal and a 25-yard free-kick from Ivica Dragutinovic.
Real's summer £80 million signing from Manchester United, full of flicks, tricks and treats all night, steered home his 20th goal of the season from 10 yards. Sergio Ramos headed Real level four minutes later and both Guti and Rafael van der Vaart clipped the Sevilla woodwork as the home side pressed for the winner.
It finally came in the 91st minute, substitute Rafael van der Vaart, scrambling home from close range. It edged Real ahead of leaders Barcelona, who were held to a 2-2 draw at Almeria earlier in the evening, on a superior goal difference of two.
Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini, whose in-form side have struck 25 goals in their last seven league matches, said: "We were a great Real Madrid side tonight. It was a great psychological victory, it is important to be leaders."
A huge Madridista roar greeted the news that Barcelona, who had striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, had dropped points at modest Almeria but Sevilla, quick and confident on the break, came close to spoiling Real's 108th anniversary party.
Former Liverpool mainspring Alonso, under pressure from Alvaro Negredo, turned the ball past Iker Casillas in the 10th minute, and the Real goalkeepeer was badly at fault when he misjudged the trajectory of the bounce from Dragutinovic's long-range free-kick eight minutes into the second half.
Real, however, have not lost at home this season, and the confidence that had brought six successive La Liga wins was prominent as Ronaldo orchestrated increasing Madrid domination.
"We played as a team and everything worked well," Alonso said. "We are moving in the right direction."
Next destination for Alonso and his Real team-mates is Europe, where they must overturn a 1-0 Champions League round of 16 first-deficit against Lyon at the Bernabeu on Wednesday. |
