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| Real Madrid cruise past Eibar after Cristiano Ronaldo special | Real Madrid cruise past Eibar after Cristiano Ronaldo special |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Cristiano Ronaldo continued his hot streak with the opening goal as an understrength Real Madrid beat Eibar 3-0 in La Liga to move withing a point of Barcelona, at least until the leaders face Sevilla later on Saturday. | |
| The Portuguese struck a free-kick from distance – and the ball moved deceptively in the air to catch out Xabi Irureta, in the Eibar goal – to put Real ahead after 21 minutes at the Bernabéu. | |
| Ronaldo’s form dropped after Christmas, which coincided with Real losing top spot in La Liga, but he has now bounced back with eight goals from four games. | Ronaldo’s form dropped after Christmas, which coincided with Real losing top spot in La Liga, but he has now bounced back with eight goals from four games. |
| Real were missing several regular starters against the Basque side, who posed little threat, and Javier Hernández nodded home the second on the half-hour. Jesé Rodríguez wrapped up the victory with a strike from the edge of the area, eight minutes from the end. | |
| “It was a good result for us, particularly with the players missing,” Real full-back Alvaro Arbeloa said. “We played with those who haven’t had that many minutes so far this season, but they responded well and it showed the strength that we have in the squad.” | |
| Hernández and Jesé made rare starts in attack, with Gareth Bale injured and Karim Benzema rested. Asier Illarramendi and Isco began in midfield, with Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez suspended. | |
| With Eibar pressed back, it appeared only a question of time before Carlo Ancelotti’s side scored and they were unlucky with the ball hitting the post three times in succession. | |
| Ronaldo flicked a corner on for Sergio Ramos, who hit the crossbar with a strike after 18 minutes, and then the ball fell to the edge of the area for Isco, whose shot was parried by Irureta on to his left post. The ball spun on to the other post and was finally knocked in by Hernández, who was offside. | |
| Ronaldo did put Real ahead with a free-kick that Irureta should really have blocked and Hernández headed in an Arbeloa cross to put Madrid in a commanding position. | |
| Real cantered through the second half and Eibar looked well beaten before Jesé’s final goal. | |
| Updates to follow | Updates to follow |