Marseille 1 Real Madrid 3:CRISTIANO RONALDO scored his fifth and sixth Champions League goals for Real Madrid as he inspired the Spanish side to a victory that confirmed them as Group C winners.
Events elsewhere meant Madrid were never likely to miss out on the last 16 of the competition but a Ronaldo brace ensured they would enter the knockout phase in style.
He scored either side of Raul Albiol’s 60th-minute effort for the visitors, with Lucho Gonzalez scoring for Marseille but later missing a penalty that would have made it 2-2.
The game got off to the perfect start for Real as, with the first serious attack of the match, Rafael Van der Vaart drew a foul from Edouard Cisse.
Ronaldo took the free-kick 35 yards from goal on the left flank and steered it beyond the diving Steve Mandanda.
However, it was not long before the scores were level. With 11 minutes gone Brandao saw his close-range header blocked well by Albiol but Real never fully cleared their lines and within seconds the ball broke to Gonzalez to stab home from 12 yards.
Ronaldo attempted to get his side going in the final third but Lassana Diarra and Gonzalo Higuain were also busy as they attempted to smother the Marseille threat.
Brandao was also working hard for his team, twice heading away Van der Vaart corners and earning an early booking for an overly exuberant challenge on Albiol. Xabi Alonso and Higuain joined him in the book as the heavy tackles began to pour in.
Ronaldo attempted to work his set-piece magic a second time seconds before the interval after Mamadou Niang felled Sergio Ramos, but this time Mandanda was able to punch the ball clear.
The goalkeeper was also in action eight minutes into the second half, getting down well to beat clear Van der Vaart’s curled attempt from 25 yards.
Mandanda’s resistance was not to last long though and by the hour mark Albiol put the away team ahead with a neat finish from the edge of the area.
Both sides made changes soon after, with the Spanish side able to call on Karim Benzema and Marseille replacing Cisse with Bakari Kone. The Ivorian was involved five minutes later as he was hauled down by Iker Casillas, handing Gonzalez the chance to equalise from the penalty spot.
His blasted penalty cannoned back off the crossbar and Ronaldo settled the matter with his second 10 minutes from time, coolly finding net from 18 yards.
MARSEILLE: Mandanda, Taiwo, Heinze, Diawara, Bonnart, Cisse (Kone 62), Cheyrou, Gonzalez, Niang (Valbuena 69), Abriel, Brandao (Morientes 77). Subs not used: Andrade, Hilton, Kabore, M’bia Etoundi. Booked: Brandao, Heinze.
REAL MADRID: Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Albiol, Arbeloa, Lassana Diarra, Alonso (Mahamadou Diarra 78), Marcelo, Van der Vaart (Raul 72), Ronaldo, Higuain (Benzema 63). Subs nt used: Dudek, Gago, Garay, Granero. Booked: Higuain, Alonso, Casillas.
Referee: Wolfgang Stark (Germany).
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