Madrid make it six of best at Ludogorets' expense
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Article summary
Real Madrid CF 4-0 PFC Ludogorets Razgrad
The holders became only the sixth side to win all six UEFA Champions League group games with their 19th successive victory in all competitions.
Article top media content
Article body
• Madrid become only sixth team to win all six group stage games
• Cristiano Ronaldo (20) opens scoring with penalty after Marcelinho sent off
• Gareth Bale (38), Álvaro Arbeloa (80) and Álvaro Medrán (88) seal Madrid's 19th straight win
• Holders finish top of Group B on 18 points, Ludogorets bottom on four
• Round of 16 draw takes place in Nyon at 12.00CET on 15 December
Real Madrid CF made it six victories from six in the UEFA Champions League group stage this season with a comfortable defeat of ten-man PFC Ludogorets Razgrad.
Looking for a Spanish record 19th consecutive win, the Merengues flew out of the blocks at high speed, showing their attacking intent from the off. Captain for the night Cristiano Ronaldo delivered the game's first effort within the first minute, visiting goalkeeper Vladislav Stoyanov beginning what would prove to be a busy evening with a good save down to his right.
Stoyanov was tested again as he cut out Gareth Bale's low cross from the right, before racing off his line to smother at the feet of Isco. Ronaldo had another effort deflected wide on the quarter-hour and it seemed just a matter of time before last season's winners took the lead.
That goal duly arrived five minutes later. Midfielder Marcelinho blocked Raphaël Varane's goal-bound header on the line with his hand and was dismissed; Ronaldo sent Stoyanov the wrong way from the penalty spot for his 72nd goal in the UEFA Champions League proper.
A goal and a man to the good, Madrid continued to dominate, and only a couple more smart stops from Stoyanov prevented them increasing their advantage. There was little the goalkeeper could do when Bale rose highest to meet a Toni Kroos corner, however, the Welshman heading in via the underside of the crossbar.
Although the Bulgarian champions promptly offered a rare foray forwards, Keylor Navas tipping Fábio Espinho's attempt over the bar, the traffic continued to flow in one direction as the second half followed a similar pattern to the first.
Stoyanov repelled Bale and Javier Hernández, before the Liga leaders added gloss to the win late on. Álvaro Arbeloa turned in a third from a corner ten minutes from the end while substitute Álvaro Medrán crowned the victory with his first goal for Madrid's senior side, his deflected effort from distance looping over Stoyanov.