MADRID: A superb early goal from Cristiano Ronaldo and a second-half Kaka penalty gave Real Madrid a 2-0 win at 10-man Villarreal in La Liga on Wednesday.
Real paid around 160 million euros ($236 million) for the Portuguese winger and Brazilian playmaker in the close season, including a world record 94 million euros for Ronaldo, and the gulf in class was evident from the start. The home side were rocked back in the second minute when Ronaldo sped down the left wing, cut inside and struck with a low shot from just outside the penalty area for his fifth league goal in four matches.
Villarreal defender Gonzalo Rodriguez was sent off 10 minutes before the break, earning a second yellow card for catching Kaka in the chest with a reckless flying kick.
Kaka stepped up to double Real’s lead in the 73rd minute when the referee ruled Angel Lopez had handled Marcelo’s cross and Gonzalo Higuain and Ronaldo both went close as Real pressed for a third.
Their fourth win out of four put them level on 12 points with champions Barcelona, who thrashed Racing Santander 4-1 on Tuesday thanks to two goals from Lionel Messi and one apiece from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Gerard Pique. Ronaldo scored inside the first minute in Sunday’s 5-0 rout of promoted Xerez and he said his early goal on Wednesday had thrown Villarreal off their stride.
“They are difficult to beat at home but we managed it and after Kaka’s goal we were more in control,” he told reporters.
At the Calderon, Atletico Madrid conceded an equalizer in the 89th minute to draw 2-2 with Almeria, increasing the pressure on coach Abel Resino with his side on just two points from four matches.
Athletic Bilbao missed their chance to make it four wins out of four when they lost 1-0 at promoted Tenerife and Manu del Moral scored twice and Pedro Leon curled in a stunning freekick as Getafe came from a goal down to beat visiting Valencia 3-1.
Uruguayan striker Diego Forlan missed a first-half penalty for Atletico before Almeria took the lead in the 26th minute when Albert Crusat found space on the left and crossed for Pablo Piatti to finish past Roberto. Cleber Santana equalized and a defensive error let Forlan to give Atletico the lead 10 minutes into the second half.
Piatti then grabbed his second to secure a point for Hugo Sanchez’s side and Atletico’s players and staff were whistled from the pitch by their disgruntled fans.
Ten-man Man United beat Wolves in League Cup
Manchester United overcame the 29th-minute sending-off of teenaged Brazilian defender Fabio Da Silva to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 in the third round of the League Cup on Wednesday.
League leaders Chelsea made it eight wins out of eight in competitive games with a 1-0 win over west London neighbors Queens Park Rangers, Peter Crouch bagged a hat-trick as Tottenham Hotspur won 5-1 at Preston North End and Everton put Phil Brown’s future in jeopardy by thrashing Hull City 4-0 away.
Aston Villa beat Cardiff City 1-0 while a near-full strength Manchester City needed extra time to beat Fulham 2-1.
Manchester United fielded an entirely changed team from that which won the Manchester derby on Sunday and the stand-ins were presented with a stiff test of their character when 18-year-old Fabio’s first appearance of the season ended after 29 minutes when he was sent off for hauling down Michael Kightly.
United, with Michael Owen among the starters, remained the more dominant side though and won it in the 66th minute when Danny Welbeck finished off a neat passing move.
“That never say die attitude runs through this club and the goal was of magnificent quality,” United manager Alex Ferguson told Sky Sports.
Chelsea equalled their all-time club record of 23 unbeaten matches but had to work hard for their win, secured when Salomon Kalou beat the offside trap after 52 minutes.
Chelsea welcomed back England international Joe Cole and Portuguese defender Paulo Ferreira after long injury layoffs and gave a debut for 18 million pounds ($29.59 million) summer signing Yuri Zhirkov.
Chelsea assistant manager Ray Wilkins told reporters: “It was a testimony to how well QPR played that we had to use Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard and John Terry as substitutes in the second half.” Last season’s runners-up Spurs chalked up their third 5-1 away win of the season, with Crouch completing his hat-trick in the last minute, while Everton made it 11 goals in three games, effectively wrapping up Wednesday’s win after 24 minutes when they were 3-0 up.
Manchester City boss Mark Hughes bucked the trend by making only one change from the Sunday’s starting team but his side found it hard going against Fulham’s second string.
The visitors went ahead with long-range Zoltan Gera shot after 34 minutes, Gareth Barry heading the equalizer after 52.
The game went into extra time and Kolo Toure won it with nine minutes to go when he thumped in a shot from close range. The draw for the fourth round takes place on Saturday.
