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Atletico Madrid 0-1 Real Madrid: Ronaldo great-goal
Cristiano Ronaldo's first-half goal was enough to clinch a 1-0 win and a smooth route to the Copa del Rey semi-finals for Real Madrid as Atletico Madrid put in a dispirited performance, on Thursday 20/01/2010.
With all the pre-match focus on the speculation regarding Jose Mourinho's position, his team produced a thoroughly effective display to seal a 4-1 aggregate success.
Real have not won the competition since 1993 but only holders Sevilla stand in the way of a potential final with Barcelona.
Ronaldo settled the tie after a move of rare quality on the night with Atletico frustrating following Quique Sanchez Flores' negative formation in the wake of Sergio Aguero's injury.
Atletico lacked any intensity in their game with Diego Forlan starting as the sole attacker in the absence of Sergio Aguero. It played right into Real's hands as a stop-start opening spell soon dampened the atmosphere.
Iker Casillas livened things up by having a routine clearance charged down by Jose Antonio Reyes but the former Arsenal forward could only retrieve the loose ball when it was too wide on goal for a shot.
Neither side looked like scoring until the first move on genine quality saw Xabi Alonso sweep the ball wide to Sergio Ramos and the defender's cross was deflected into the path of Ronaldo. The Portugese star thumped home in emphatic fashion from the centre of goal to make it 32 for the season.
Mourinho celebrated in customary fashion in front of the home supporters and, with a 4-1 aggregate lead, a semi-final place was virtually assured.
Reyes was replaced by Diego Costa due to injury and the Brazilian substitute did well to get down the right to fizz in a cross that was just in front of the waiting Forlan.
But it was a rare opening, in truth, with Casillas a mere bystander for much of the half.
David de Gea was no busier, although he had to watch a dipping Ramos drive fly over the top and an Angel di Maria effort dribble wide.
Just when the game was drifting towards half-time, Ronaldo produced a moment of magic that will love long in the memory. The former Manchester United star's incredible backheel was simply breathtaking but di Maria took a touch too many and all the power was taken out of his shot by a defender's challenge.
Source: uk.eurosport.yahoo.com
Team Line-up:
Atletico Madrid: De Gea, Valera, Ujfalusi, Perea, Filipe, Assuncao, Tiago, Elias, Reyes, Fran Merida, Forlan.
Real Madrid: Casillas, Ramos, Albiol, Carvalho, Arbeloa, Xabi Alonso, Kedhira, Di Maria, Ozil, Marcelo, Ronaldo.
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