Cristiano Ronaldo made both goals at the
Rosaleda, setting the France forward up for a
tap-in before putting the Welshman clean
through on goal late on with a flick-on Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale got the goals
as Real Madrid made it a club-record 16 wins
in a row by defeating Malaga 2-1 on Saturday
night.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti had found his future
called into question after Los Blancos lost
consecutive Liga games to Real Sociedad and
Atletico Madrid in September.
But the European champions have been
irresistible since then, winning every game the
have played in all competitions and netting an
incredible 59 goals in the process.
Karim Benzema opened the scoring early on at
La Rosaleda after fine work by Cristiano
Ronaldo, before Gareth Bale grabbed the
crucial second late on with an excellent finish
after latching on to Ronaldo's flicked header.
Former Malaga playmaker Isco was then
harshly sent off for a second booking, before
Roque Santa Cruz ensured Real would face a
nervy last minute or so when he nodded home
in stoppage time.
However, Ancelotti's side held on for a
deserved three points that ensures they will
end the weekend top of La Liga.
The two sides contested a lively opening to the
game, with both goalkeepers forced into
important saves inside the first quarter of an
hour.
Ronaldo was the first to go close in the 12th
minute as the Portuguese star fired straight at
the outstanding Carlos Kameni from nine yard
after a clever pass from Bale.
Malaga caught Madrid on the counter almost
immediately after that chance, and their move
ended with Iker Casillas tipping a Santa Cruz
header on to the roof of the net.
The open nature of the match suited Real,
though, and they eventually went ahead in the
18th minute, as Ronaldo exploded past Robert
Rosales down the left and saw his cross
instinctively steered in by Benzema.
The shaky Casillas almost handed Malaga an
equaliser shortly after, but the Madrid
captain's blushes were spared by the post afte
he spilled Sergi Darder's long-range effort.
Bale should have doubled Real's lead in the
40th minute as he raced on to a Ronaldo
throughball, but he could only shoot straight
at the onrushing Kameni.
And the frailty of the visitors' advantage was
highlighted shortly before the break as Duda
struck the crossbar with an audacious 35-yard
free-kick.
Real looked threatening again at the start of
the second half, and Ronaldo almost doubled
their advantage in spectacular style in the 54t
minute, narrowly missing the target with an
acrobatic scissor-kick.
The Ballon d'Or holder - who has scored 20
Liga goals this term - should have made sure
of the points with 13 minutes to go but
Kameni produced a stunning save to palm
away his low drive after he had capitalised on
a mix-up between Marcos Angeleri and
Weligton.
Malaga almost made the most of that let-off a
Santa Cruz tested the unconvincing Casillas
from the edge of the area, but Bale raced on
to Ronaldo's flick-on and fired home in the
83rd minute to make the points safe.
A harsh second yellow for Isco, who was given
a rousing reception from the home fans as he
left the pitch, and Santa Cruz 's excellent
header made it a tense ending, but the Madri
juggernaut rolls on.
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