UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Group C: Real Madrid 3 Ajax Amsterdam 0:FOR 20 minutes Ajax attacked Real Madrid and then they did something risky: they attacked them again. It proved to be once to often, reports Sid Lowe at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Goals from Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Karim Benzema gave Madrid a 3-0 victory that means progress from Group D already looks a formality but it was the ability to launch swift counter-attacks, led by Xabi Alonso’s diagonal deliveries criss-crossing the pitch, that was most striking. Ajax certainly had been struck with three devastating blows.
Jose Mourinho was nowhere to be seen as he served the final game of his Uefa ban. Wherever he was watching, he would have been delighted with the way the game ended.
Ultimately, Madrid were comfortable; even the missed chances – and they came for Kaka who had one clear opportunity and appealed for a penalty before being replaced to a standing ovation on 75 minutes – mattered little.
The start had been a different matter. Ajax are a young, inexperienced side. Small wonder, then, that their manager, Frank De Boer, had insisted the key would be whether his players had the nerve to attack Madrid at the Bernabeu.
It turned out that they did. That also turned out not to be the key at all.
When Jan Vertonghen looked like he would get away, Rafael Varane was quick into the challenge and a moment later Iker Casillas made a sharp save that drew applause. He was soon making another, easier stop. In the meantime, there was even time for Madrid to give a debut, at last, to summer signing Hamit Altintop.
Ajax were smooth in possession, Siem de Jong, Eriksen and Miralem Sulejmani moving the ball neatly. They were moving in dangerous areas, too.
Alvaro Arbeloa had to launch a wonderful challenge on Sulejmani near the penalty spot. De Jong played a swift one-two and, dashing into the area, couldn’t quite reach the bouncing ball with Casillas smothering him. And then, Sulejmani was dashing though the middle. In front of him, De Jong was sprinting into the space behind Madrid’s defence. The through-ball was stopped by Ricardo Carvalho’s hand. Mark Clattenburg gave him a yellow card. The colour was debatable.
Madrid are rarely more dangerous than when they are being attacked and so it proved. Ajax blinked and missed them. A perfect counter-attack at astonishing speed opened the Ajax defence and opened the scoring. The ball was worked through Ronaldo, Kaka, Mezut Ozil, Benzema, and then back to Ronaldo, who came screeching into the area for a first time finish. It was Ronaldo’s 29th Champions League goal.
Madrid had already fired a warning shot just before when Benzema wasted a glorious chance and it was not long before they had a second. Alonso’s ball speared its way across the pitch for Ronaldo, who killed it instantly, and found Kaka. The Brazilian’s low shot flew into the corner.
Ajax’s moment had passed and early in the second half Karim Benzema made it three, completing a move built by Alvaro Arbeloa and Kaka and started by Alonso. “Hombre, claro” as they say. But of course.
Guardian Service
REAL MADRID:Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Varane, Carvalho, Arbeloa, Alonso, Khedira, Ronaldo, Ozil (Altintop 84), Kaka (Di Maria 75), Benzema (Higuain 75). Subs not used: Adan, Granero, Albiol, Diarra. Booked: Carvalho.
AJAX AMSTERDAM:Vermeer, Van Der Wiel, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Anita, De Jong, Janssen (Enoh 51), Eriksen, Sulejmani (Ebecilio 71), Sigthorsson, Boerrigter (Serero 83). Subs not used: Cillessen, Ooijer, Blind, Bulykin.
Referee: Mark Clattenburg (England).
