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Madrid seize control of Group G by beating Milan

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-10-20 08:58

MADRID - Cristiano Ronaldo scored one goal and set up the other as Real Madrid seized control of Group G with a 2-0 victory over fellow Champions League powerhouse AC Milan on Tuesday.

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo (C) celebrates after scoring against AC Milan during their Champions League Group G soccer match at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid October 19, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]

Ronaldo opened with a 13th-minute free kick that flew through a gap in the defensive wall left when Zlatan Ibrahimovic jumped out of position.

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A minute later and with the cheers barely subsided, the Portugal forward darted into the area before feeding the ball back to Mesut Oezil, whose shot came off Daniele Bonera's head to loop over goalkeeper Marco Amelia.

Jose Mourinho's side dominated from the start at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium and blitzed Milan's goal with 22 shots to put itself on the verge of reaching the knockout stages. Madrid's defense, meanwhile, has yet to concede in Europe as Mourinho labeled the performance "fantastic."

"We needed to impose a strong rhythm on the game from the start by playing with the type of concentration these games deserve _ and we did that," Ronaldo said.

Nine-time champion Madrid has nine points after a third straight win. Ajax joined Milan on four points with a 2-1 win over Auxerre which kept the French club without a point on the board.

"This is a mistake that should not be repeated," Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri said through a translator. "We are not happy with this defeat. We must have a different type of performance to be competitive at the European level."

Amelia made his first start of the season with Christian Abbiati sidelined by a thigh injury, while Bonera was in central defense, taking over from injured Thiago Silva. Ronaldinho started in place of Robinho on the left flank.

Madrid dominated the start despite a brief interruption after one minute when a fan ran onto the field.

Pato barged into the back of Xabi Alonso to set up a free kick, just a few meters outside the area, and give Ronaldo the chance to score his first goal of the competition and seventh of the season. Oezil's goal moments later only added more confidence.

"Our work, our concentration - the team was fantastic tonight," Mourinho said. "It's not easy to play like this after our game in Malaga but the team showed its credentials. There's a good feeling in the team."

Milan, a seven-time European champion, controlled the match for a spell from the 25th minute but Ibrahimovic was just too late to latch on to Andrea Pirlo's inviting header into the box.

Iker Casillas, making a record 104th appearance by a goalkeeper, dived to his left to keep a free kick by Pirlo from finding the top corner in the 29th. Madrid scrambled as Ronaldinho found Clarence Seedorf alone along the left in the 34th minute but the former Madrid player volleyed over the bar.

Madrid reasserted itself on the counter, with Di Maria especially dangerous as he ran at Milan's aging defenders. Amelia was alert to get a hand to Oezil's low shot just before the break.

Madrid pressed forward after the break, with Amelia saving Gonzalo Higuain's header in the 52nd before Di Maria misguided his well-placed centering pass moments later. The two Argentines nearly linked up soon afterward but Di Maria waited too long to take his chance and saw his effort blocked.

"At least the goals are not so significant at this stage because if this was a quarterfinal where they were and we should have won 4-0, I would not have been happy," Mourinho said. "Milan didn't play well - we did."

Madrid was unrelenting as Marcelo fed Ronaldo in the 71st minute but the former world player of the year shot wide.

The Bernabeu fans showed their displeasure with Robinho as he replaced Ronaldinho in the 72nd in his first return to the Bernabeu since his abrupt departure in 2008.

Ibrahimovic and Seedorf had chances in the last 10 minutes but the hosts resisted late pressure from the Rossoneri to end a three-game losing streak to Italian opponents in the Spanish capital.

The two clubs meet again at the San Siro on November 3 where Madrid can clinch its place in the next round.

"First we want to qualify then we'll worry about first place," Mourinho said.