Real Madrid ensured they would stay top of the Primera
Division going into the international break as a Cristiano
Ronaldo hat-trick and a Karim Benzema double helped
them record a thumping win over Osasuna in a midday
kick-off at the Bernabeu.
• Ronaldo: It's all about the team
In the week he collected the 2010-11 European Golden
Boot, Ronaldo racked up his 12th treble in a Real shirt
with a pair of headers and a penalty, while second-half
substitute Benzema scored goals six and seven after
Pepe and Gonzalo Higuain restored Real's lead after
Ibrahima Balde equalised.
It was a 10th straight win for Real in all competitions
while for Osasuna it was another hefty defeat following
an 8-0 loss to Barcelona at the Nou Camp earlier this
season.
The first opening fell to Sami Khedira in the 10th
minute, who missed his kick when six yards out after
Osasuna failed to deal with an Angel Di Maria corner.
Osasuna full-back Damia did well to dispossess Higuain
as the Argentinian bore down on goal and seconds later
Di Maria mishit a volley after Ronaldo's cross to the
far post picked him out.
The Portuguese was becoming increasingly influential
and after an angled shot aimed for the near post was
deflected just wide he made the breakthrough in the
23rd minute, rising high to direct home Di Maria's inswinging
cross from the right.
Real could have had a second straight from the kick-off
after possession was gifted back to them, but Di Maria
dragged a left-foot wide.
Madrid captain Iker Casillas sensed danger for the
first time as a Javad Nekounam shot from 30 yards flashed
past his right-hand post.
Pepe then pulled up injured in the centre circle, and
the focus on his reintroduction to the action saw Real
let their guard down.
Madrid full-back Alvaro Arbeloa fouled Francisco Nino
on the edge of the box and while the off-the-ball arguments
continued, a quick free-kick found Ibrahima in the box
and he applied a smart finish through Casillas' legs.
Real quickly restored their lead, and it was Pepe who
got it, nodding home from six yards after another teasing
Di Maria cross from the right.
Real's third came in the 40th minute as Di Maria slipped
a delicious pass through to Higuain, who stepped past
Manuel Lolo before bending a cracking right-foot shot
past Andres Fernandez in the Osasuna goal.
Fernandez then had to be alert as Mesut Ozil tried
to sneak a crafty shot beyond him at his near post,
before the half-time whistle brought the Navarrans some
respite.
Di Maria, who had set up all three first-half goals,
was forced off with what looked like a hamstring problem
early in the second half with Benzema coming on.
Nino flashed a shot wide after racing to the near post
to meet Ibrahima's cross before Real extended their
advantage from the penalty spot.
Ozil was tripped by Eneko Satrustegui, who was duly
sent off on his La Liga debut, and Ronaldo rolled home
the spot-kick in the 54th minute.
His hat-trick arrived four minutes later as Arbeloa
stood up a cross from the right and Ronaldo stretched
to head past Fernandez.
Benzema added the sixth, applying the finish after
good work on the left by Fabio Coentrao in the 63rd
minute, before the Bernabeu crowd greeted Nuri Sahin's
long-awaited debut as a substitute following his summer
move from Borussia Dortmund.
France striker Benzema pulled a shot wide after getting
away from Lolo before Fernandez was out smartly to cut
out Ronaldo's pass intended for the run of substitute
Jose Maria Callejon.
Benzema added Real's seventh, smashing a first-time
left-foot shot past Fernandez after Arbeloa rolled the
ball through to him with just under 10 minutes to go.
Ronaldo hit the frame of the goal after breaking clear
on the left as Osasuna avoided any further embarrassment.
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