Real Madrid 4 : 0 Osasuna - Ronaldo bags brace in Madrid win

Posted Sunday, April 27, 2014 by PA

Two goals from Cristiano Ronaldo set Real Madrid on their way to a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Osasuna which moved them back up into second place in the Primera Division.

The Portugal international struck after six minutes and added another early in the second half, with further goals from Sergio Ramos and Daniel Carvajal securing Real's fourth win in a row, which lifts them three points behind leaders and city rivals Atletico Madrid.

Osasuna, however, have won just one of their last 10 league matches and sit three points above the bottom three having played more games than the teams below them.

The warning signs were there early on for Osasuna, who saw Raphael Varane head a Luka Modric corner wide after just three minutes.

And the visitors conceded three minutes later thanks to the prolific Ronaldo, who made the most of an assist from Angel Di Maria by curling right-footed into the top right corner.

Emiliano Armenteros tried to get Osasuna back on terms but fired wide of the left post after 10 minutes, while Real goalkeeper Diego Lopez made his first save soon after to deny an effort from Francisco Punal.

But Real reigned for the rest of the half and wondered how they failed to add to their tally, with Ramos putting two chances over the bar while visiting keeper Andres Fernandez turned away shots from Modric, Alvaro Morata, Nacho and Ronaldo.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti must have addressed the problem of Real's profligacy at half-time however, as the hosts responded with two goals in eight minutes.

Ronaldo smashed in the first after 52 minutes, picking out the top right corner with a sublime strike, before Ramos finally made a header count from close range following Di Maria's cross from the right.

To their credit, Osasuna were not overawed and almost caught the Madrid hosts off-guard after 79 minutes when Javier Acuna was afforded space to meet a corner from Punal, which the striker headed narrowly wide of the left post.

Real's response was to score a fourth goal four minutes later, with Isco providing the ball into the area for Carvajal to power home with his head.