Ronaldo scores five goals in one match for first time


Cristiano Ronaldo
well and truly
stole the show in
Real Madrid's
9-1 win over
Granada on Sunday with an
eight-minute hat-trick as part of
a five-goal masterclass.
The Portuguese superstar is
running out of achievements to
notch up in Spain, but he netted
his fastest treble in a Real shirt,
and his first since
December, within 38 minutes of
a wonderfully clinical display.
Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema,
twice, were also on target for
Carlo Ancelotti's side in Madrid,
while Diego Mainz put through
his own net to compound
Granada's misery late on.
Bizarrely given such an emphatic
scoreline, Real were far from
their fluent best early on.
However, from the moment
they led after 25 minutes
when Bale's recent upturn in
form continued with a well-taken
opener under pressure, they
never looked back.
Having coolly rounded
goalkeeper Oier, Bale registered
his fifth goal in four outings for
club and country to set the ball
rolling, before Ronaldo took
centre stage and almost single-
handedly put Granada to the
sword.
The returning James Rodriguez
supplied his first before the
Ballon d'Or holder made the most
of two Oier errors to register his
24th, and quickest, Liga hat-trick.
The onslaught continued in the
second half as Ronaldo scored
his fourth in between Benzema's
brace, with Roberto Ibanez's late
consolation the only
disappointment for the hosts.
Mainz then turned Luka Modric's
cross into his own net to
present Real with another gift,
before Ronaldo - fittingly - had
the final say to move Real to
within a point of Barcelona, who
play Celta Vigo later on Sunday.
In their first outing since the
international break, Real
dominated possession early on
but were hampered by loose
passes and offside calls.
After Ruben Rochina and Ibanez
had both gone close for the
struggling visitors, the home fans
made their frustrations clear as
Granada began to grow in
confidence.
But the whistles were silenced
when Bale latched onto Toni
Kroos’ pass and outmuscled
Mainz before rounding the
goalkeeper, doing well to keep
the ball in play before tucking it
into an open net.
The lead was doubled before the
half-hour mark, as Granada's
early solidity crumbled -
Rodriguez cleverly turning a
sloppy clearance into an assist
for Ronaldo's 32nd league goal
of the season.
With Real in full swing, Oier could
only parry a fierce Marcelo cross
into Ronaldo's path for his
second with the visiting
goalkeeper also at fault for Real's
fourth.

Oier could only help Ronaldo's
long-range strike on its way as
the Portuguese completed his
quickfire hat-trick to take the
game well and truly beyond
Granada.
Youssef El-Arabi did rattle the
crossbar on a rare foray forward
prior to half-time, but it was a
rare moment of relief for the
visitors as Benzema and Ronaldo
continued to expose them after
the break.
Showing expert control on his
chest, Benzema turned and fired
home on the half-volley after 52
minutes to ensure each of Real's
frontline a place on the
scoresheet, before the
Frenchman then turned provider
for Ronaldo's fourth.
Benzema took Real's tally to
seven himself with Ancelotti
subsequently able to
withdraw Rodriguez, having
made his first appearance since
February following a broken
metatarsal.
Ibanez finished a quick break for
the visitors to ensure a
consolation but normal order
was restored when Mainz's
own goal took Real's tally against
Granada to 12 this term.
There was still time, though,
for Ronaldo to round off a
supreme performance in style as
he netted his fifth a minute from
time, rising highest to head
home Modric's free-kick from the
right.

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