Zidane hails Ronaldo, Bale in Real victory Harry Kane on another level, says coach Pochettino
MORALE BOOSTER Manager calls victory over Borussia Dortmund ‘important one’ in Real Madrid’s quest to revive season
DORTMUND: Zinedine Zidane praised goal- scorers Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo, who netted twice in a 3-1 victory, as Real Madrid finally claimed a Champions League win at Borussia Dortmund.
Ronaldo marked his 150th European game with second-half goals after Bale’s stunning early volley gave Real the lead at Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park
Pierre-emerick Aubameyang scored Dortmund’s consolation goal with just over half an hour left, but the Germans were simply out-played by holders Real.
Having also netted twice against APOEL, Ronaldo has now scored four goals in just two Champions League games this season. “I’m happy for Cristiano... again! I’m delighted for Ronaldo and Bale,” said Zidane.
This is the first time Dortmund have lost at home to Real in seven European games while holders Madrid have now scored in 38 successive Champion League games.
“It is difficult to play in this stadium, we have never won here, so this victory was important to us, and the whole game was good for us from start to finish,” said Zidane.
“We had a lot of ball possession, that was the key. Dortmund played as impressively as ever, but we compensated well.”
Dortmund shaded possession and matched Real’s tally of 16 shots on goal and Zidane wanted to see more chances converted.
“We could have scored more. We had chances. The important thing is to score more than our opponents and we did that,” said the Frenchman.
“The side worked hard — Isco, (Luka) Modric, Casemiro and (Toni) Kroos were marvellous. Everyone was brilliant. It was a tremendous game.”
The result leaves Real top of Group H, just ahead of Tottenham, who beat APOEL 3-0 away, with Dortmund third and six points adrift of Spurs, who they also lost 3-1 to in London.
“We defend with 11 players and we attack with 11 players,” said Dortmund coach Peter Bosz, whose side shaded possession and match Real’s 16 shots on goal. marked his 150th European game with two goals as Real Madrid sealed a morale-boosting win over Borussia Dortmund.
was on Ronaldo to come up with the goods as he had gone without scoring in the previous two games in the league.
upped the ante when it mattered. Having also netted twice against APOEL, Ronaldo has now scored four goals in just two Champions League games this season.
to deliver, many feel performance against Dortmund was Bale’s best of the season. It will also silence the critics, who have flayed his efforts this season.
Real’s confidence as they turn their attention to La Liga where they trail arch-rivals Barcelona by seven points.
to close down the deficit and hope that Barca stumble before they meet in the first-leg of the league Clasico on December 23.
opener with a delightful volley, assisted for Ronaldo’s first goal and ran the Dortmund defence ragged throughout the game.
to Dortmund, Real failed to win a single match. On Tuesday, they finally succeeded with a comprehensive margin.
surprise that the Portuguese was all smiles after his 150th game in UEFA club competition, his 400th in all for Madrid. Aubameyang 54 Bale 18 Ronaldo 49, 79 NICOSIA: Mauricio Pochettino praised Harry Kane after the English striker scored a perfect hat-trick for Tottenham to give them a 3-0 victory at APOEL Nicosia in their second Champions League match in Group H.
After scoring twice in the opening group stage win over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley, Kane added to his European tally with three goals in Cyprus using both feet and his head.
“He has unbelievable skills in front of goal. He is on another level. He is a killer, Harry has this special skill,” Pochettino said.
Spurs’ next opponents in the competition are Real Madrid, who also have maximum points and the same goal difference in the group following two victories.
When asked whether Kane is on the same level as four-time Ballon d’or winner Cristiano Ronaldo, the Argentine coach did not give a straight answer but did laud the Englishman as one of the best. “He scored three goals, he is one of the best, he is unbelievable,” he said after Kane reached 34 goals for his club during the calendar year, three more than the Portuguese.
But Pochettino would not be drawn on whether he would swap Real Madrid’s mercurial number seven for 24-year-old Kane.
“Cristiano is fantastic and one of the best. Harry is one of the best and can improve because he is so young. Both are fantastic, they are the types of players you want in your team.”
DE BRUYNE ROCKET FIRES MAN CITY
MANCHESTER: Kevin De Bruyne’s superb strike and a late Raheem Sterling goal maintained Manchester City’s impressive form in a 2-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday.
De Bruyne struck in the 49th minute with a magnificent 20-yard strike into the top right- Liverpool 1 Maribor 0
Shakhtar 0 Feyenoord 1
RB Leipzig 0 Porto 3
APOEL Nicosia 0 Tottenham 3 hand corner of the Shakhtar goal after David Silva’s run had ended with the Spaniard teeing up the opening. It was the Belgian’s first goal of City’s free-scoring season — a reflection of his new, deeper role under Pep Guardiola — but certainly a goal worth waiting for given its quality.
Although City striker Sergio Aguero failed with a penalty, Sterling’s 89th minute finish from 12 yards, after a sprint and cross from fellow substitute Bernardo Silva, spared his team-mate’s blushes and wrapped up the points at Eastlands.
“The first half we had a few problems as we didn’t make enough passes in a row,” Guardiola said.