La Liga, Santiago Bernabeu - Real Madrid 5 (Bale 20, Ronaldo 28 (pen), 32, 80 (pen), 92) Elche 1 (Albacar 15)
Cristiano Ronaldo netted four times as Real Madrid closed the gap on Liga leaders Barcelona to just three points with a comprehensive 5-1 win over Elche.
After a somewhat indifferent start to the season, claiming just two wins from their opening four Liga games, it was important for Carlo Ancelotti’s side to put pressure on their Catalan rivals, who face Malaga tomorrow.
And that’s what they did, although the match started in bizarre circumstances, when Referee Clos Gomez made the peculiar decision to award the visitors a spot kick for a perceived high foot from Cristiano Ronaldo in the box, when the Portuguese winger seemed only to be clearing the ball.
Edu Albacar converted from 12 yards before Gareth Bale restored parity almost immediately with a header Manu Herrera should have done better with.
Real Madrid were awarded a dubious penalty of their own after 28 minutes, with Marcelo going down in the area after little contact with an Elche defender. Ronaldo slammed his spot kick into the top corner to make it 2-1.
And the Ballon d’Or winner scored his second minutes later, rising highest in the six yard box to power home a header.
Los Blancos were awarded another penalty with less than 10 minutes remaining, when Mario Pasalic tripped Ronaldo in the area, with the number seven converting to seal his second successive hat-trick.
Ronado added his fourth in stoppage time, latching on to a Bale through ball before finishing with the outside of his right foot to complete a 5-1 win.
- Eurosport
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