Real Madrid ensured they would
stay top of the Primera Division
going into the international break
as a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick
and a Karim Benzema double
helped them record a thumping
win over Osasuna in a midday
kick-off at the Bernabeu.
- Ronaldo: It's all about the team
In the week he collected the
2010-11 European Golden Boot,
Ronaldo racked up his 12th treble
in a Real shirt with a pair of
headers and a penalty, while
second-half substitute Benzema
scored goals six and seven after
Pepe and Gonzalo Higuain
restored Real's lead after Ibrahima
Balde equalised.
It was a 10th straight win for Real
in all competitions while for
Osasuna it was another hefty
defeat following an 8-0 loss to
Barcelona at the Nou Camp earlier
this season.
The first opening fell to Sami
Khedira in the 10th minute, who
missed his kick when six yards
out after Osasuna failed to deal
with an Angel Di Maria corner.
Osasuna full-back Damia did well
to dispossess Higuain as the
Argentinian bore down on goal
and seconds later Di Maria mishit
a volley after Ronaldo's cross to
the far post picked him out.
The Portuguese was becoming
increasingly influential and after an
angled shot aimed for the near
post was deflected just wide he
made the breakthrough in the
23rd minute, rising high to direct
home Di Maria's inswinging cross
from the right.
Real could have had a second
straight from the kick-off after
possession was gifted back to
them, but Di Maria dragged a left-
foot wide.
Madrid captain Iker Casillas sensed
danger for the first time as a
Javad Nekounam shot from 30
yards flashed past his right-hand
post.
Pepe then pulled up injured in the
centre circle, and the focus on his
reintroduction to the action saw
Real let their guard down.
Madrid full-back Alvaro Arbeloa
fouled Francisco Nino on the edge
of the box and while the off-the-
ball arguments continued, a quick
free-kick found Ibrahima in the
box and he applied a smart finish
through Casillas' legs.
Real quickly restored their lead,
and it was Pepe who got it,
nodding home from six yards
after another teasing Di Maria
cross from the right.
Real's third came in the 40th
minute as Di Maria slipped a
delicious pass through to Higuain,
who stepped past Manuel Lolo
before bending a cracking right-
foot shot past Andres Fernandez
in the Osasuna goal.
Fernandez then had to be alert as
Mesut Ozil tried to sneak a crafty
shot beyond him at his near post,
before the half-time whistle
brought the Navarrans some
respite.
Di Maria, who had set up all three
first-half goals, was forced off
with what looked like a hamstring
problem early in the second half
with Benzema coming on.
Nino flashed a shot wide after
racing to the near post to meet
Ibrahima's cross before Real
extended their advantage from
the penalty spot.
Ozil was tripped by Eneko
Satrustegui, who was duly sent
off on his La Liga debut, and
Ronaldo rolled home the spot-kick
in the 54th minute.
His hat-trick arrived four minutes
later as Arbeloa stood up a cross
from the right and Ronaldo
stretched to head past Fernandez.
Benzema added the sixth,
applying the finish after good
work on the left by Fabio
Coentrao in the 63rd minute,
before the Bernabeu crowd
greeted Nuri Sahin's long-awaited
debut as a substitute following his
summer move from Borussia
Dortmund.
France striker Benzema pulled a
shot wide after getting away from
Lolo before Fernandez was out
smartly to cut out Ronaldo's pass
intended for the run of substitute
Jose Maria Callejon.
Benzema added Real's seventh,
smashing a first-time left-foot
shot past Fernandez after Arbeloa
rolled the ball through to him with
just under 10 minutes to go.
Ronaldo hit the frame of the goal
after breaking clear on the left as
Osasuna avoided any further
embarrassment.
Final - Granada 0-0 Racing
Santander
Final - Real Zaragoza 2-2 Sporting
Gijon
Half - Espanyol 0-0 Villarreal
Half - Rayo Vallecano 1-0 Real
Sociedad
8:00 PM - Athletic Bilbao vs
Barcelona
10:00 PM - Getafe vs Atlético
Madrid
January 25, 2011, 10:02:59 AM