25/08/2004
Ronaldo sends Real through to Champions League
Ronaldo scored twice to set Real Madrid on
their way to a 3-1 win over Wisla Krakow on Wednesday and lead the
nine-times European Cup winners through to the Champions League group
phase on a 5-1 aggregate.
Real, forced to go through the qualifying round after finishing fourth
in the league last season, added to their 2-0 lead from the away leg
with Ronaldo's first in the third minute.
Portuguese midfielder Luis Figo skipped his way down the right wing,
clipped in a neat pass across the face of the goal and Ronaldo bundled
the ball in at the far post.
The Brazilian struck again on 31 minutes with a similar goal,
controlling the ball with his thigh and then poking it home after
defender Michel Salgado had swung in a cross.
Ronaldo could have claimed his hat-trick before the half was out when he
danced his way past the Wisla defence but the Brazilian saw his powerful
shot blocked by keeper Radoslaw Madjdan.
Raul, still struggling for form, scooped wide after being put through by
Zinedine Zidane and the outstanding Figo had three stinging shots beaten
away by Madjdan.
Wisla posed little threat and Real goalkeeper Iker Casillas was only
pressed into action seriously on two occasions when he parried
long-range efforts from striker Maciej Zurawski.
Francisco Pavon powered in a header from a Roberto Carlos corner in the
85th minute but Real's evening finished on a slightly damp note when
midfielder Damian Gorawski nipped in ahead of Walter Samuel and poked in
Zurawski's cross a minute from time.