Real Madrid maintained their perfect start to UEFA
Champions League Group B with a 2-1 home win over 10-man Juventus.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in the first half - his
sixth and seventh goals of the competition this season - either side of
Fernando Llorente's equaliser, before Juventus saw Giorgio Chiellini sent off
for an alleged elbow on the Portuguese international.
Chiellini, who conceded the penalty that handed Ronaldo
his second, was shown a straight red card two minutes into the second period when
it looked as though he had done nothing more than fend off the forward with his
arm.
Carlo Ancelotti made four changes from Saturday's 2-0 win
over Malaga, including the return of Iker Casillas in goal and Karim Benzema up
front.
For Juventus, Martin Caceres was in action for the first
time since suffering a knee injury in early September, the defender one of
three changes from Sunday alongside Angelo Ogbonna and Arturo Vidal.
The visitors threatened as early as the second minute,
Claudio Marchisio stinging the palms of Casillas with a rasping drive from 25
yards.
Midway through the half, Juventus drew level as Llorente
fired home a rebound from six yards after Casillas had kept out Paul Pogba's
back-post header from Caceres' cross.
Parity lasted for just seven minutes as Ronaldo netted
his second of the night from the penalty spot.
Chiellini was adjudged to have brought down Sergio Ramos
inside the area while defending a free-kick, and Ronaldo placed the resulting
set-piece high to Buffon's right.
Five minutes later Andrea Pirlo wasted a chance to
equalise for a second time, blazing over from a tight angle following a
scramble in the box.
Ronaldo then fired narrowly wide having being fed by
Benzema four minutes before the break as the contest continued at a furious
pace.
Two minutes after the interval, the visitors were dealt a
cruel blow when Chiellini was shown a straight red card for what the referee
deemed to be an elbow on Ronaldo, although replays suggested the decision was
harsh.
Benzema should have put Madrid further ahead on the hour,
somehow turning the ball over from point-blank range after being picked out by
Alvaro Arbeloa.
Culled from Fourfourtwo
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