Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring his side's third goal against Borussia Dortmund. AP Photo/Michael Probst
Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring his side's third goal against Borussia Dortmund. AP Photo/Michael Probst

Ronaldo's return sparks Real Madrid victory at Borussia Dortmund



A double from Cristiano Ronaldo helped two-time defending champion Real Madrid to a 3-1 win at Borussia Dortmund in the Uefa Champions League on Tuesday.

Ronaldo, yet to score in the Spanish league where he sat out a five-game suspension for shoving a referee, took his tally in Europe's premier competition this season to four goals in two games as he sent Dortmund to its second straight defeat in Group H.

Tottenham, which beat the German side in their game at Wembley Stadium, defeated Apoel Nicosia 3-0 away thanks to a Harry Kane hat trick in the other group game.

Gareth Bale put Madrid on course for its first win at the seventh attempt in Dortmund with a brilliant volley into the top far corner early in the first half, and then ran onto Toni Kroos' forward ball before crossing for Ronaldo to score early in the second.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang pulled one back almost straight away for Dortmund, but Ronaldo sealed the win late with a thumping finish to beat Roman Buerki at his near post.

"We could have scored more. We had chances. The important thing is to score more than our opponents and we did that," Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said.

Buerki was by far the busier goalkeeper as Madrid made a better start. Dani Carvajal forced him into a good save early on before Lukasz Piszczek had to slide in to deny Bale what looked a certain goal.

Living dangerously at the back, Dortmund opted to push forward. Andriy Yarmolenko almost found Aubameyang before Maximilian Philipp's goal-ward effort was scrambled away between goalkeeper Kaylor Navas and Sergio Ramos. The ball touched Ramos' hand from Navas' deflection but the officials felt it was unintentional.

"These are key moments that could lead to a different result," said Dortmund midfielder Nuri Sahin after facing his former side. "Still, you have to say Madrid were good."

The visitors went ahead when Carvajal sent a cross for a Bale to stroke nonchalantly inside the far corner with the inside of his left boot.

Buerki denied the Welsh forward another, and Carvajal got back with a timely clearance to stop Aubameyang at the other end.

Ramos missed a good chance with a header from a corner before the break, and Dortmund emerged with intent after it, when Raphael Varane got back with a vital goal-line clearance to deny Aubameyang again.

Then Madrid scored again. Kroos played a perfect through ball for Bale, who took one look and delivered a perfect cross for Ronaldo to score from close range.

Aubameyang got ahead of Ramos to pull one back five minutes later, but Ronaldo had the final say, again. It was his 14th goal in his last seven games in the competition.

Dortmund, which has made its joint-best ever start to the Bundesliga, already faces the prospect of a first-round exit.

"It wasn't easy to play our system at this level, to enforce our way of playing, pressing high up the pitch, against the top favorites," Sahin said. "They played well. They have good footballers in their ranks. They dominated the center with Isco and four midfielders. So it's not easy. But that's the development we have to make."

Keane on …

Liverpool’s Uefa Champions League bid: “They’re great. With the attacking force they have, for me, they’re certainly one of the favourites. You look at the teams left in it - they’re capable of scoring against anybody at any given time. Defensively they’ve been good, so I don’t see any reason why they couldn’t go on and win it.”

Mohamed Salah’s debut campaign at Anfield: “Unbelievable. He’s been phenomenal. You can name the front three, but for him on a personal level, he’s been unreal. He’s been great to watch and hopefully he can continue now until the end of the season - which I’m sure he will, because he’s been in fine form. He’s been incredible this season.”

Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s instant impact at former club LA Galaxy: “Brilliant. It’s been a great start for him and for the club. They were crying out for another big name there. They were lacking that, for the prestige of LA Galaxy. And now they have one of the finest stars. I hope they can go win something this year.”

hall of shame

SUNDERLAND 2002-03

No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.

SUNDERLAND 2005-06

Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.

HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19

Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.

ASTON VILLA 2015-16

Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.

FULHAM 2018-19

Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.

LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.

BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66

A State of Passion

Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi

Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah

Rating: 4/5

THREE
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