Google+ PLANET FOOT 7: Ronaldo's Hat-Trick leads Real Madrid to blow Galatasaray 6-1 in Champions League.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Ronaldo's Hat-Trick leads Real Madrid to blow Galatasaray 6-1 in Champions League.

Cristiano Ronaldo inspired Real Madrid to a startling victory over Galatasaray with a bright hat-trick in Istanbul.

The Portuguese was in scintillating form and his team-mates duly raised their respective games to attempt to match their superstar buddy.
Karim Benzema also nabbed a brace and Isco got his name on the scoresheet as Carlo Ancelottis men ran riot at the Turk Telecom Arena.

The Turkish side, backed by a raucous house crowd, began speedily and went close in the third minute. Felipe Melo, 25 yards from goal, fired a fierce drive at the summit corner, but Iker Casillas made a superb save.

However, that would be Casillas final meaningful act of the game as he was forced to withdraw in the 14th minute after taking a nasty knock to his ribs. He was replaced by Diego Lopez.

Gala should have taken advantage of Casillas exit immediately, but Melo could only direct a tame shot straight at Lopez after a superb cross from Albert Riera.

Real speedily recovered and appealed for a penalty in the 21st minute, when Ronaldo was felled in the crate by Dany Nounkeu - though the referee waved play on.

The topsy-turvy nature of the game continued and Melo again went near on the half hour mark. The Brazilian midfielder rose tall inside the crate and powered a header at the bottom corner, but Lopez made a fabulous end to save the scores level.

Real soon took advantage of their substitute goalkeepers heroics, as Isco gave his side the lead three minutes later. Angel Di Maria lofted a good ball into the Spaniards path, and the star squeezed a precise effort into the bottom corner.

However, Galatasaray began the second half speedily and should have levelled in the 48th minute. A superb, driven cross found Burak Yilmaz at the front post, but the normally prolific striker could only send his resulting effort broad of the post.

He was soon made to pay for his profligacy, as Benzema doubled his sides lead in the 54th minute. An terrible defensive header from Melo allowed the Frenchman to steal in, and he coolly finished into the bottom corner.

Real then asserted their authority on the match and Ronaldo made it 3-0 10 minutes later. A good Di Maria cross found Isco at the back post, and the Spaniard nodded back for the superstar Portuguese forward, who smashed the ball into the roof of the net.

Gareth Bale was then introduced in area of Isco in the 64th minute, and had an instant impact. The 86 million Welshman whipped a wicked free-kick into the box for Sergio Ramos. The defenders resulting header was well parried by Fernando Muslera, but Ronaldo was upon hand to tap in the rebound.

However, the Spaniards were far from finished and lengthy their guide once more in the 81st minute. Ronaldo broke the offside trap and had the chance to sack his hat-trick, but instead set up Benzema for a easy tap-in.

Ancelottis side did not have it all their own way, though, and Galatasaray nabbed a consolation goal three minutes later, as Umut Bulut turned the ball house following a good delivery from Nordin Amrabat.
The goal seemed to infuriate Real, and Ronaldo did sack his hat-trick in injury time. The Portuguese tricked his way through the house defence and smashed an unstoppable shot into the summit corner to wrap up a simply wonderful victory for his side.

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