Group D Ajax 1 Real Madrid 4:Cristiano Ronaldo scored his second hat-trick in four days and Karim Benzema netted a spectacular overhead kick to give Real Madrid an emphatic win at Ajax Amsterdam in Group D last night.
A dominant Real wasted a host of chances before Ronaldo pounced on a loose ball to score from close range in the 42nd minute and Benzema finished off a swift Real break three minutes into the second half when he smashed home a Kaka centre.
Real’s vulnerability at set-pieces gave Ajax hope in the 56th minute when Niklas Moisander stole in at the far post and nodded under Iker Casillas before Ronaldo scored twice in two minutes to kill off the game. The win consolidated Real’s lead at the top of the group with six points from two matches.
With Sundays La Liga “Clasico” at Barcelona looming, coach Jose Mourinho sprung surprises in deploying little-used Brazil playmaker Kaka instead of Mesut Ozil and Luka Modric. In only his second appearance this season, Kaka showed some of the form that won him a world player of the year award in 2007, tormenting the Ajax defence and linking up well with Ronaldo and Benzema.
Ajax fought back in the second half as Real appeared to take their foot off the gas before Ronaldo, who scored three against Deportivo Coruna on Sunday, completed his first Champions League treble.
