Real Madrid displayed their clinical side to emerge 2-0 victors over Atletico Madrid in tonight’s Liga Derbi at the Santiago Bernabeu, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Mesut Ozil on target for the home team.
Jose Mourinho gave los Blancos fans the opportunity to boo him on the pitch 40 minutes before kick-off, but was greeted positively by those supporters inside the stadium, despite coming under criticism for his side’s poor start to the Liga campaign that saw them start this match eight points behind their city rivals.
It did not take long for his side to take the lead in the match, as Ronaldo made it 1-0 to the reigning Liga champions with an unstoppable free kick in the 16th minute, while Mesut Ozil added a second after the break to seal the win.
Atletico’s in-form forward Radamel Falcao was allowed his first glimpse at goal in the seventh minute when he got the wrong side of Pepe, but the Madrid centre-back managed to regain his composure and knock the ball behind as the Colombian attacker pulled back his left foot to shoot from the a tight angle.
Despite being second-best in the opening exchanges the home side took a 1-0 lead in emphatic fashion through Ronaldo. The Portugal international made Diego Simeone’s men pay for Arda Turan’s foolish handball 30 yards from the Atletico goal by hammering the resulting free kick past Thibaut Courtois and into the bottom corner.
Madrid nearly increased their lead to two from another set piece in the 37th minute when Xabi Alonso set up Ronaldo for a long-range effort but Courtois was able to keep the attacker’s strike out on this occasion, diving brilliantly to his right to parry the ball away.
The home side were slightly fortunate to end the first half with 11 men on the pitch after Ramos caught Falcao with a stray elbow as the two tussled for possession right in front of the linesman, while Atletico’s midfield duo of Gabi and Mario Suarez avoided bookings in the minutes before the break after both went in late on Ronaldo.
Half-time failed to calm either team as the second half was punctuated by spats between players from each side, just as the first half had been.
Madrid did manage to increase their lead eventually, courtesy of Ozil. Atletico’s makeshift left-back Cata Diaz was caught out of position after his team-mate Miranda headed the ball straight into the path of Ronaldo, and the Madrid forward quickly sprayed a pass to Ozil on the right. The Germany international adjusted his body well to meet the ball on the half-volley with his left foot, and his strike flew straight into the bottom left corner.
Ronaldo still had time to strike both the crossbar and the post as Madrid controlled the closing stages, in stark contrast to the sluggish start they had made to the match.
