La Liga: Ronaldo hits five as Real rout Granada 9-1

Bernabeu faithful treated to their side hitting nine past the relegation-threatened side

MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo's first-ever five goal haul in one match saw Real Madrid move to within a point of Barcelona at the top of La Liga with a stunning 9-1 thrashing of Granada on Sunday.

Gareth Bale continued his fine form after bagging a brace for Wales last weekend by opening the scoring after 25 minutes.

Ronaldo then took over as he scored three times in eight minutes just after the half-hour mark.

Karim Benzema struck twice either side of Ronaldo's fourth as Real added three more in a four-minute spell just after the break.

Robert Ibanez grabbed a consolation for the visitors, but Diego Mainz's own goal made it 8-1 before Ronaldo rounded off the scoring with a towering header.

Ronaldo's quintuple takes him four clear of Lionel Messi in the race to be La Liga's top goalscorer.

"Cristiano has improved as the team has," said Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti. "What more can I say about him? It is the first time he has scored five goals with Real Madrid."

Madrid had only won one of their last four La Liga games before the international break, but Ancelotti was able to welcome back James Rodriguez for the first time in two months after recovering from a foot injury.

Chances soon began to flow for Madrid and Bale was first to capitalise when he latched onto Toni Kroos's through ball to round Oier Olazabal and slot home from a narrow angle.

Rodriguez then sealed his comeback with a lovely assist with the outside of his left foot to allow Ronaldo to curl home his first of the afternoon.

The Portuguese soon made it 3-0 by lashing home from close range after Olazabal had spilled a cross and he sealed an eight-minute hat-trick with more help from the Granada keeper who fluffed a shot straight at him.

Granada offered little resistance after the break as Benzema was given plenty of time to control a corner from the left and fire home to make it 5-0.

Bale then unselfishly teed up Ronaldo to nod home his 46th goal of the season.

More shocking defending from Granada allowed Benzema to saunter through for a seventh barely 60 seconds later.

Granada pulled a goal back when Ibanez burst clear of Raphael Varane to slot past Casillas, but their miserable day was rounded off when Mainz could only turn Javier Hernandez's cross into his own net.

Ronaldo fittingly had the final word when he rose highest to power Luka Modric's free-kick in at the far post.

 

 

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