UEFA Champions League – Half-time: Real Madrid v. AC Milan – Ronaldo and Ozil make it 2-0 for Madrid
Madrid and Milan played a star-studded first half of their group stage match of the UEFA Champions League. It was a brilliant half of football which had everything including goals and feisty fast paced football. Milan started
out with experience in their side in the form of Clarence Seedorf, Ronaldinho Gaucho, Alessandro Pirlo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
On the other side, Madrid started with pace in their side as they opted for Cristiano Ronaldo and Angel Di Maria on the wings whereas Higuain and Ozil were the two strikers for Jose Mourinho’s team. Madrid started the match
on the front foot as early on Ronaldo took the game by the scruff of the neck and wrecked havoc down the left hand side of Real’s attack. Seedorf and co. found it hard to cope with the former Manchester United’s pace. Alexandre Pato was Milan’s only spark
of genius upfront alongside Ronaldinho as both the Brazilians tried to create something out of nothing for the Milanese side.
Madrid got their first goal off a free kick courtesy of some amazingly bad wall organization by Milan’s defense. Cristiano Ronaldo took the set piece and the winger found a gap inside Milan’s wall and thus in doing so Ronaldo
got the opening goal for his team. Soon Real Madrid got their second goal of the match but this time luck played a massive role as Ronaldo bombed down the left hand side of attack once again but this time squad a ball for Mesut Ozil. Ozil’s shot was deflected
off Bonera and the score line reached two nil in favor of the Madrid club.
After the second goal of the match, the pace calmed down a bit as Milan tried to pass their way back into the match. The Rossoneri tried to slow the game down to their pace and were almost successful in getting a goal back
as Pirlo’s free kick almost found the back of the Madrid net. But Iker Casillas had other plans as the Spanish captain knocked the ball away from his goal at the very last moment.
Mourinho’s team was excellent in defense as they pressed up the field to close down any space. Ronaldinho was Milan’s standout player in the first half as he ran the show in the midfield area. His skill and guile on the ball
allowed Milan to gain valuable time on the ball when Madrid were pressing hard upfront. Milan found it hard to get in behind the staunch Madrid defense but that didn’t deter Ronaldinho from trying, whose tricks worked more often than not for Massimiliano Allegri’s
team.
In the 32nd minute of the match, Seedorf had a brilliant chance to bring his team level but his first touch let him down and his shot from his weaker foot was way off target as Casillas and co. were
let off for their lapse in concentration.
In the 37th minute, Real Madrid powered forward but Angel Di Maria’s shot was deflected off Genaro Gattuso. In the 42nd minute, Los Blancos again attacked and this time Di Maria
carried the ball forward but he was selfish in possession and spurned the chance despite having the opportunity to pass to either Gonzalo Higuain or Cristiano Ronaldo in front of AC Milan’s goal.
The first half came to an end with the score line at two nil to Madrid. It was a fantastic performance by Jose Mourinho’s team who bossed the game from start to finish. At the half time whistle, Ronaldo and Ozil were especially
cheered off the field by Real Madrid’s fans who are not always as appreciative as they were on the night.
Milan would be looking to come out strongly in the second half and get a goal back for starters. However, it looks highly unlikely that the strong Real Madrid back line would be breached by Milan’s old guard.
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