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15.02.2017 » Real Madrid 3-1 Napoli. Important advantage for the second leg
It was a magical night in the Bernabéu, as Madrid took a commanding 3-1 lead in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League knockout match against Italian side Napoli, putting to rest any doubts about their ability to perform on the biggest stage this season. Goals were delivered by Karim Benzema, Toni Kroos and Casemiro. It was a scintillating performance, one worthy of the Champions League, as Los Merengues took the match to Napoli from the opening minute and were able to recover from an early setback. Cristiano Ronaldo may have not written his name in the scoresheet, but he sure had a big and positive impact in his team's offense tonight.
Cristiano Ronaldo game photos in Real Madrid vs Napoli
Real Madrid 3-1 Napoli - Goals and highlights:
All Cristiano Ronaldo actions vs Napoli:
That early setback came courtesy of a Lorenzo Insigne finish, an ingenious one to be honest, as the Italian caught Keylor Navas out of position and hit a one-time curling shot into the corner of the net. It was a shock to Madrid, who had started the game so well, putting relentless pressure on Pepe Reina's goal, but alas they were down 1-0...
But Real Madrid would waste no time getting back into the match though and Karim Benzema, who has been struggling as of late, headed in the equalizer in the 18th minute from a brilliant Dani Carvajal cross with the outside of his boot. Madrid continued to press as Cristiano Ronaldo became the focal point of the attack. Ronaldo was quite lively down the wing, dribbling well and causing havoc in the final third. His brilliant low cross to Benzema was clattered off the post by the french forward midway through the first, as it became clear that Madrid were hungry for blood.
Despite all their efforts, Madrid went into the second half tied. From there, however, they would begin to pull away. Ronaldo's excellent dribbling continued in the second half and his work down the right flank perfectly set up Toni Kroos for one of his patented low finishes into the bottom corner. It's that German accuracy and precision at his finest...
Soon after, Madrid had saved the best for last from an unlikely source. Pouncing on a clearance from the box, Casemiro, of all people, hit a perfect one-time volley into the corner of the net. Possibly the best goal of the season thus far and the best in the Brazilians' career. It was the perfect way to cap a great night for Madrid. 3-1 isn't an insurmountable lead, however, Madrid will be full of confidence heading into the San Paolo in three weeks time.
Author: Terrance Ross
Real Madrid line-up vs Napoli:
Goalkeeper: Navas
Defenders: Marcelo, Varane, Ramos, Carvajal
Midfielders: Casemiro, Kroos, Modric
Attackers: James Rodríguez, Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema.
| Match stats provided by www.ronaldo7.net
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|---|---|---|
Real Madrid
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vs
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Napoli
|
3 |
Goals |
1 |
20 |
Shots |
8 |
6 |
Shots on goal |
2 |
5 |
Corner kicks |
1 |
9 |
Fouls commited |
12 |
2 |
Yellow cards |
2 |
0 |
Red cards |
0 |
49% |
Ball possession |
51% |
Cristiano Ronaldo next game is a La Liga fixture, on February 18 of 2017 against Espanyol. You can watch Juventus live stream, Real Madrid vs Espanyol, Villarreal vs AS Roma, Manchester United vs Saint Etienne, Gent vs Arsenal, and Benfica vs Borussia Dortmund, all matches provided from our live soccer game pages.
Real Madrid next game:
Real Madrid vs Napoli kick-off time (15-02-2017):
Beijing (China) | UTC/GMT+8: 23:15
Jakarta (Indonesia) | UTC/GMT+7: 22:15
India (New Delhi) | UTC/GMT+5.30: 20:45
Spain (Madrid) | UTC/GMT+1: 16:15
Portugal and England (Lisbon/London) | UTC/GMT+0: 15:15
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) | UTC/GMT-2: 13:15
New York (United States) | UTC/GMT-4: 11:15
Los Angeles (United States) | UTC/GMT-7: 08:15
Sources: ronaldo7.net / realmadrid.com / skysports.com / theguardian.com
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