Too late for ‘real’ kill
11 April 2013 1:59 AM GMT
Real Madrid withstood a second-half onslaught from Galatasaray to qualify for their third successive Champions League semifinal 5-3 on aggregate, despite losing 3-2 on the night.
Already leading 3-0 from the first-leg last week, it took Los Blancos just eight minutes to build on their advantage as Sami Khedira crossed for Cristiano Ronaldo to prod home from close range.
However, after Ronaldo had missed a guilt edged opportunity to double his tally on the night, Galatasaray produced a remarkable comeback as Emmanuel Eboue thumped in an equaliser from the edge of the box.
Wesley Sneijder and Didier Drogba then added two goals in a minute to ensure a nervy final 18 minutes for Madrid.
Alvaro Arbeloa saw two quick-fire yellow cards a minute from time to ensure he will miss the first-leg of the semifinal, before Ronaldo sealed Madrid’s path into the last four with another sweet strike in stoppage time. Madrid had been warned about the wall of noise they would face in Istanbul but just like in the first leg, they started in perfect fashion. Mesut Ozil was once more the creator for the Spanish champions as he slipped Khedira through on the right side of the area and his driven cross was turned in by Ronaldo.
However, the momentum of the game swung in two incidents within 60 seconds of one another just before the hour mark. Firstly, Ronaldo uncharacteristically scuffed wide with the goal at his mercy before Eboue sent a rocket of a shot into the top corner.
Next Sneijder skipped past Raphael Varane and slotted confidently past Diego Lopez with 19 minutes to go. And a minute later Drogba struck before Ronaldo scored his second.
Already leading 3-0 from the first-leg last week, it took Los Blancos just eight minutes to build on their advantage as Sami Khedira crossed for Cristiano Ronaldo to prod home from close range.
However, after Ronaldo had missed a guilt edged opportunity to double his tally on the night, Galatasaray produced a remarkable comeback as Emmanuel Eboue thumped in an equaliser from the edge of the box.
Wesley Sneijder and Didier Drogba then added two goals in a minute to ensure a nervy final 18 minutes for Madrid.
Alvaro Arbeloa saw two quick-fire yellow cards a minute from time to ensure he will miss the first-leg of the semifinal, before Ronaldo sealed Madrid’s path into the last four with another sweet strike in stoppage time. Madrid had been warned about the wall of noise they would face in Istanbul but just like in the first leg, they started in perfect fashion. Mesut Ozil was once more the creator for the Spanish champions as he slipped Khedira through on the right side of the area and his driven cross was turned in by Ronaldo.
However, the momentum of the game swung in two incidents within 60 seconds of one another just before the hour mark. Firstly, Ronaldo uncharacteristically scuffed wide with the goal at his mercy before Eboue sent a rocket of a shot into the top corner.
Next Sneijder skipped past Raphael Varane and slotted confidently past Diego Lopez with 19 minutes to go. And a minute later Drogba struck before Ronaldo scored his second.
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