MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo scored four times as Real Madrid came from behind to move within three points of La Liga leaders Barcelona with a 5-1 win over Elche on Wednesday.
The Portuguese also scored a hat-trick in Real’s 8-2 thrashing of Deportivo la Coruna on Saturday and now has 12 goals to his name in just eight appearances this season.
The Santiago Bernabeu had been briefly stunned as Ronaldo was penalised for a foul on Pedro Mosquera as he tried to clear inside his own area after 15 minutes and Edu Albacar slammed the spot-kick past debutant Keylor Navas in the Madrid goal.
However, the European champions responded in style as Gareth Bale headed home an equaliser before a Ronaldo penalty put them in front.
Ronaldo then produced a towering header to send the hosts in 3-1 up at the break before completing his hat-trick with another penalty and rounding off the scoring with a cool finish from Bale’s pass in stoppage time.
The build up to the game had been dominated by Real coach Carlo Ancelotti’s decision to hand Navas his debut ahead of the under fire Iker Casillas in response to his side’s defensive troubles so far this season.
Ancelotti’s men were gifted a route back into the game on 20 minutes from time when he slammed home another penalty after he had been clipped inside the area by Mario Pasalic.
Ancelotti’s men were gifted a route back into the game on 20 minutes when Bale made a good contact with James Rodriguez’s cross from the right, but Elche ‘keeper Manu Herrera should have kept the Welshman’s effort out at his near post.
And there was more to come from the 29-year-old as he raced onto Bale’s brilliant assist to slot home his fourth of the evening. Victory takes Madrid up to fourth with Barcelona in action on Wednesday away to Malaga, whilst champions Atletico Madrid travel to Almeria. (Reuters)