trick as Real Madrid equalled their
biggest ever away win in La Liga
with an 8-2 thrashing of Deportivo
la Coruna on Saturday.
Real now trail second-placed Atletico Madrid by two
points after the champions missed the chance to go
top as they were held 2-2 at home by Celta Vigo.
Ronaldo opened the scoring with a fantastic header
from Alvaro Arbeloa's cross, but the Portuguese
was upstaged by James Rodriguez and the
Colombian doubled the visitors' advantage with a
sumptuous left-footed effort that curled into the top
corner.
A goalkeeping howler from German Lux then
allowed Ronaldo to fire into an empty net to make it
3-0 before the break, but Depor did manage to pull
one back when Haris Medunjanin converted from
the penalty spot after Sergio Ramos was adjudged
to have handled.
Gareth Bale struck twice in the final 25 minutes
before Ronaldo rounded off his hat-trick to ensure
Real bounced back in style after suffering
consecutive defeats to Real Sociedad and Atletico
Madrid in their last two league outings.
Toche headed home a late consolation for the
hosts, but Javier Hernandez rounded off a fine day
for Real when he volleyed home his first two goals
for the club since joining on loan from Manchester
United.
"The game was defined by the skill and quality we
have up front and how clinical we were with the
chances we had," said Real boss Carlo Ancelotti.
"We showed the quality we have. We have a
phenomenon in Ronaldo and we have other players
with great quality. They combined very well together
and that was the best thing we can take from the
game."
Depor's resistance was broken just before the half
hour mark as Ronaldo leapt to meet Arbeloa's cross
and directed a fine header into the far corner from
15 yards out.
Karim Benzema then forced Lux into another smart
save moments later, but there was nothing the
Argentine 'keeper could do nine minutes before
halftime when Rodriguez scored his first goal in La
Liga with a curling effort that dipped in off the
underside of the bar.
Lux was badly at fault for Real's third goal, though,
as he raced off his line to close down Benzema and
despite bringing down the Frenchman, referee
Pedro Jesus Perez Montero allowed play to continue
so Ronaldo could double his tally for the afternoon
by rolling the ball into an empty net.
Deportivo were given a glimmer of hope at the start
of the second-half as Ramos was harshly penalised
for handball and Medunjanin sent Iker Casillas the
wrong way from the penalty spot.
However, Real put the game to bed 24 minutes from
time when Marcelo played in Bale on the left side of
the area and this time he finished via the far post to
register his third goal of the season.
Bale produced another moment of quality to make it
5-1 as he flicked Isco's through ball over Lux with
ease before Ronaldo collected Rodriguez's pass
and powered the ball home with his left foot to
complete his hat-trick 12 minutes from time.
Deportivo snatched a consolation six minutes from
time as Toche headed home, but Real fittingly had
the final word as Hernandez made his case for a
start at home to Elche in midweek.
The Mexican international thumped a volley into the
top corner two minutes from time before seeing his
next effort loop of a stray Depor defender's leg and
over the hapless Lux.
It was a more frustrating night in the capital for
Atletico as they were held for the second time in
four games this season.
The hosts were shocked 19 minutes in when Pablo
Hernandez produced a moment of genius to
backheel Carles Planas's cross past Miguel Angel
Moya.
Diego Simeone's men had to rely on their efficiency
from set-pieces to dig themselves out of trouble as
Miranda prodded home Koke's free-kick before
Diego Godin powered home a header from Gabi's
corner to lead before the break.
However, Celta were level once more eight minutes
into the second-half when Miranda was adjudged to
have clipped Planas inside the area and Nolito
slammed home the resulting spot-kick.
Celta 'keeper Sergio Alvarez had to make a fine
save to deny much-maligned Atletico striker Raul
Jimenez, who also had a goal rightly ruled out for
offside.
And Atletico were denied again the offside flag in
the last action of the game as Alessio Cerci was
denied a fairytale ending to his home debut.
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