Ronaldo’s name was written all over the first goal. Madrid were defending a corner when Kroos back-headed the ball to Ronaldo. He went on the gallop from deep inside his own half into Valencia’s final third. Marcelo was ahead of him and Ronaldo found his team-mate who then played in Karim Benzema who pulled the ball back to Ronaldo.
Valencia full-back Martin Montoya fouled Ronaldo with a clumsy lunge that got nowhere near the ball and the referee, who had kept up with the lightning counter attack, pointed to the spot. Ronaldo sent Neto the wrong way to score.
Keylor Navas saved from Geoffrey Kongdobia. But it was the Madrid counter-attacks that carried more goal threat.
Former Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin was struggling to keep Madrid at bay from his position in the centre of Valencia’s defence. His job was being made more difficult by right-back Montoya who soon gave away his second penalty.
He climbed on Benzema as both went for a high ball. Some things change regards Ronaldo but one thing doesn’t – he scores penalty – and in the different corner he buried his second spot-kick.
Valencia almost narrowed the margin before the break when Santi Mina crossed and Rodrigo volleyed just over.
MATCH FACTS AND STATS
Valencia: Neto; Montoya; Coquelin; Garay; Lato (Pereira 77); Guedes (Soler 45); Parejo; Kondogbia; Gaya; Rodrigo (Zaza 75); Mina
Subs not used: Domenech, Maksimovic, Vietto, Vidal
Goals: Mina 59
Bookings: Gaya, Parejo
Real Madrid: Navas; Carvajal; Varane; Nacho; Marcelo; Casemiro; Kroos; Modricm (Kovacic 88); Bale (Vazquez 69); Ronaldo; Benzema (Asensio 78)
Subs not used: Casilla, Hernandez, Llorente, Mayoral
Goals: Ronaldo 16 and 38, Marcelo 84, Kroos 89
Bookings: Bale, Carvajal, Varane
Referee: Javier Estrada Fernandez
Attendance: 47,034.
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