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Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo claims hat-trick in rout of Athletic Bilbao | Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo claims hat-trick in rout of Athletic Bilbao |
(35 minutes later) | |
Cristiano Ronaldo took his tally for the La Liga season to 13 goals in six appearances with his third hat-trick of the campaign as Real Madrid romped to a 5-0 win at home to Athletic Bilbao on Sunday. | |
A rampant Ronaldo, who equalled the La Liga record of 22 hat-tricks jointly held by Alfredo Di Stéfano and Telmo Zarra, headed Real in front from Gareth Bale’s lofted centre in the third minute at the Bernabéu. | A rampant Ronaldo, who equalled the La Liga record of 22 hat-tricks jointly held by Alfredo Di Stéfano and Telmo Zarra, headed Real in front from Gareth Bale’s lofted centre in the third minute at the Bernabéu. |
Karim Benzema made it 2-0 four minutes before half-time when he headed home at a corner and Bale sped clear to set up Ronaldo for his second 10 minutes into the second half. | Karim Benzema made it 2-0 four minutes before half-time when he headed home at a corner and Bale sped clear to set up Ronaldo for his second 10 minutes into the second half. |
The Portuguese world player of the year unselfishly squared for Benzema to make it 4-0 in the 69th minute and Ronaldo completed his treble two minutes from time when the ball bounced off his body into the net. | The Portuguese world player of the year unselfishly squared for Benzema to make it 4-0 in the 69th minute and Ronaldo completed his treble two minutes from time when the ball bounced off his body into the net. |
Only a series of superb stops by Gorka Iraizoz in the Bilbao goal prevented further punishment for the struggling Basque side as Real provided more evidence they have put an early-season stumble firmly behind them. | Only a series of superb stops by Gorka Iraizoz in the Bilbao goal prevented further punishment for the struggling Basque side as Real provided more evidence they have put an early-season stumble firmly behind them. |
“We still have room for improvement,” Ronaldo, 29, clutching another match ball for his growing collection, said. | “We still have room for improvement,” Ronaldo, 29, clutching another match ball for his growing collection, said. |
“The team played a good match and scored five goals without conceding, we are very pleased,” he added . | “The team played a good match and scored five goals without conceding, we are very pleased,” he added . |
The victory lifted Real above Atlético Madrid into fourth place on 15 points following the champions’ 3-1 defeat at Valencia on Saturday. | The victory lifted Real above Atlético Madrid into fourth place on 15 points following the champions’ 3-1 defeat at Valencia on Saturday. |
Barcelona lead on 19 points and became the first team to avoid conceding in their opening seven La Liga games thanks to Saturday’s 2-0 success at Rayo Vallecano. | Barcelona lead on 19 points and became the first team to avoid conceding in their opening seven La Liga games thanks to Saturday’s 2-0 success at Rayo Vallecano. |
Valencia are second on 17 points and Sevilla a point further back in third after they thrashed promoted Deportivo La Coruna 4-1 earlier on Sunday, helped by a brace from the Cameroon midfielder Stéphane Mbia. | |
Bilbao, without a win in seven matches in all competitions and beaten 2-1 at BATE Borisov in the Champions League on Tuesday, are 18th on four points. | Bilbao, without a win in seven matches in all competitions and beaten 2-1 at BATE Borisov in the Champions League on Tuesday, are 18th on four points. |
Mbia opened the scoring for the Europa League champions Sevilla, who were beaten 4-0 at Atlético last weekend, with a 24th-minute header before Haris Medunjanin levelled for Deportivo with a superb free-kick in the 31st minute. | |
Carlos Bacca, who had a second-half penalty saved, made it 2-1 six minutes before half-time, Mbia claimed his second in the 57th minute and Vitolo added Sevilla’s fourth in the 63rd minute after a fine solo run by the excellent Gerard Deulofeu. | |
In Sunday’s other games Villarreal won 3-1 at Celta Vigo and Espanyol beat visiting Real Sociedad 2-0. |
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