Madrid: Real Madrid kept pace with champions
Barcelona at the top of the Spanish First Division defeating
10-man Villarreal 2-0 at El Madrigal with Cristiano Ronaldo
continuing his goal-a-game record while Brazilian Kaka scored
his first Real goal from the penalty spot.
Ronaldo yesterday scored a great solo goal in the very
first minute to make it five goals in four games and Kaka
converted a controversial penalty for his first goal in Real's
colours.
"It was important to start (the season) winning games,"
said Ronaldo. "I am really happy to win here and also to
continue scoring goals.”
"Villarreal are strong at home but we managed to get the
three points."
It was a fourth straight win for Real as they joined
Barcelona, who defeated Racing Santander 4-1 on Tuesday, on a
maximum 12 points.
It was a special win for Real coach Manuel Pellegrini -
who spent five successful seasons at Villarreal - and also
captain Raul who came on as a substitute to equal Manolo
Sanchis's league appearance record of 504 games.
It was a great day for Real but new Villarreal coach
Ernesto Valverde is feeling the heat as he searches for his
first win in charge after two draws and two losses.
"The sending off changed the match and I don't think the
handball (for the penalty) was intentional but the referee
decided otherwise," bemoaned Valverde.
Ronaldo has so far not had any problems living up to his
world record fee and opened the scoring in the very first
minute.
The Portuguese international produced a neat turn before
showing a great turn of pace to skip past two defenders and
fire into the bottom corner.
Ronaldo joins Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Valencia
striker David Villa on five goals at the top of the
goal-scoring charts and is developing a habit of early goals
having scored in the first minute in Sunday's 5-0 drubbing of
Xerez.
Villarreal were handicapped from the 34th minute when
stand-in captain Gonzalo Rodriguez picked up a somewhat harsh
red card for clipping Kaka in the ribs.
However, the ten men of Villarreal almost equalised early
in the second period with Giuseppe Rossi drawing a fine save
from Iker Casillas.
Strangely Villarreal played better with one man less as
Real failed to build on a promising first half display.
Pellegrini responded by bringing on Raul for his record
equalling league appearance.
A fortunate penalty gifted Real the second goal they
craved with Marcelo's cross accidentally hand-balled on 72
minutes.
Kaka ignored the angry jeers from the home fans to send
the goalkeeper the wrong way for his first Real goal.
Neighbours Atletic Madrid were jeered off the pitch at
the Vicente Calderon after a 2-2 draw with Almeria on Tuesday.
A late goal from Argentine Pablo Piatti denied Atletico a
first win of the season and coach Abel Resino is increasingly
under pressure with the club, fourth last season, sitting
second from bottom on one point.
Valencia were another of the top sides to disappoint
falling to their first defeat of the season losing 3-1 at
Getafe despite taking the lead through Villa.
Villa struck his fifth goal of the season in the 22nd
minute finishing off a great team goal involving four Valencia
players but the good work was undone 60 seconds later as Manu
del Moral levelled.
Manu then put Getafe in front in the 37th minute and
Pedro Leon curled in a free-kick from the David Beckham school
in the second half to wrap up the points for Getafe.
Valencia fall to sixth and are already five points off
the pace at the top.
In other matches, Athletic Bilbao saw their perfect start
come to an end with a 1-0 defeat by promoted Tenerife.
Mikel Alonso, the elder brother of Real Madrid's Xabi
Alonso, scored a late winner to stop Bilbao from joining Barca
and Real on 12 points.
Elsewhere Xerez are still searching for their first ever
goal and point in the Spanish top-flight after a 3-0 home loss
against Deportivo La Coruna.
It is Xerez's first ever season in the Spanish top
division but it has not started well with no goals and no
points from the first four games.
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, September 24, 2009, 11:52