Friday, April 12, 2013

VIDEO: Ronaldo scores twice as Real Madrid reach semis - Ahram Online

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Real Madrid, aiming to become kings of Europe for the 10th time, foiled a dramatic fightback by Galatasaray on Tuesday to reach the Champions League semi-finals

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo (L) celebrates with his team mates after scoring a goal against Galatasaray during their Champions League quarter-final second leg soccer match in Istanbul April 9, 2013. (Photo: Reuters)

"This match will serve as an example for us in the future," Ronaldo told Spanish broadcaster TVE. "In football you cannot just give chances away.

"They made things hard but in reality we were the ones who made things complicated for ourselves. We must make sure that we are switched on for the full 90 minutes."

Real went ahead on the night when Ronaldo slid the ball in from two metres following a low cross from the right by Sami Khedira after seven minutes.

Emmanuel Eboue then galvanised Galatasaray into action with a piledriver of an equaliser from the edge of the area in the 57th minute.

Wesley Sneijder made amends for a glaring miss moments earlier when he added a second goal for Galatasaray by sending the ball between the legs of Real defender Raphael Varane before supplying a neat finish.

Didier Drogba, Chelsea's hero in last year's final, then sent the noisy crowd into raptures with a delightful back heel following a cross by substitute Nordin Amrabat.

Real substitute Alvaro Arbeloa was sent off in the closing stages for a second caution but Ronaldo settled his team's nerves by adding his second goal in stoppage time after good work by Karim Benzema.

The Madrid team, who romped to a 3-0 win in the first leg at the Bernabeu, were in complete command after Ronaldo's seventh-minute goal in Istanbul.

Real winger Angel Di Maria also missed an excellent opportunity after 24 minutes when a deft back-heel from Ronaldo sent him through on goal and Muslera kept the ball out with an instinctive save.

Diego Lopez saved well when Sneijder fired in a shot from the edge of the area in the 38th minute and soon after Drogba just failed to latch on to a through ball that would have put him clear.

At the start of the second half nine-times European champions Real appeared content to sit on their lead but Eboue's goal transformed the atmosphere and it sparked a period of sustained pressure from the home team.

Sneijder dragged his shot well wide when he was unmarked eight metres out before the Dutch international struck Galatasaray's second goal.

(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports)

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