Real Madrid hit four past Ajax Amsterdam
Real Madrid secured first place in Group G of the Champions League on Tuesday 23 November, overcoming Ajax Amsterdam 4–0 in a convincing away performance from Jose Mourinho's team.
First-hald strikes from Karim Benzema and Alvaro Arbeloa and a second-half brace by Cristiano Ronaldo saw the Spanish giants crush Martin Jol's team, who will now compete with AJ Auxerre
for UEFA Europa Cup qualification in the last round of the group stage.
"I am very happy because we have won our group," a delighted Mourinho told
UEFA.com after the game. "The best teams are going to finish on top of their sections so we know we have earned a slight advantage going into the draw for the round of 16."
Benzema puts Real ahead
After a quiet start to the match, the formerly out-of-favour Benzema tested Maarten Stekelenburg from 25 yards with 34 minutes gone, but his tame strike went straight at the goalkeeper.
Two minutes later the Frenchman slotted the ball high into the right corner with his first touch having been supplied by Mesut Ozil with a back heel from inside the area.
Arbeloa doubled Real's lead in the 44th minute after Ronaldo's free kick rebounded off the Ajax wall.
The right-back took a touch for control before sending a curled drive that evaded Stekelenburg and sailed low into the right corner.
Ronaldo stepped up his performance in the second half, exchanging passes with Benzema to race clear towards the Ajax goal two minutes after the break, but the Portuguese's finish hit Stekelenburg
before coming off the top of the crossbar.
Ronaldo shines before suspicious dismissals
Real substitute Angel di Maria intercepted a poor pass in the 69th minute, skipping ahead to supply Ronaldo on the left-hand side of the area.
Real's number seven collected the ball with his right before striking low into the far corner with his left.
With 10 minutes left of ordinary time, the lively Ozil earned Real a penalty after storming into the box, and Ronaldo stepped up to coolly strike the ball down the middle for his team's
fourth.
Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos then stalled set-pieces to earn their second yellow cards of the game in what appeared to be an attempt by Real to clear two key players of previous bookings
ahead of the knock-out stages. The incident is set to be investigated by UEFA.
Real continue to top Group G with 13 points, five ahead of runners-up AC Milan, while AJ Auxerre's three points see them trail Ajax by one ahead of the last round.
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