Ronaldo scores Brace as Real Madrid win UEFA Supercup
By: Opeyemi Oladunjoye
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brace to help Real Madrid claim their first European silverware of the new season with a 2-0 win over Sevilla in the UEFA Super Cup match in Cardiff.
It is the first of six trophies the Champions League winners are hoping to win this season, as they will look to defend the title they claimed by beating Atletico Madrid in May, while Bale has said this week the team are also confident of winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey, the FIFA Club World Cup and the Supercopa de Espana in 2014-15.
The team’s first competitive game of the season saw Manager Carlo Ancelotti put his star-studded squad – most expensively-assembled squad in football history – to good use as Bale, Benzema, Ronaldo were featured in the starting eleven along with newcomers, Kroos and James Rodriguez.
Sevilla rarely proved to be a major threat and Real showed enough attacking potential to cement their status as the team the rest of Europe should fear.
Ronaldo was the star of the game, having clearly overcome his World Cup injury worries and a disappointing tournament in which his Portugal side were eliminated at the group stage.
The Portuguese tapped in a cross from Cardiff-born Gareth Bale to give Real the lead and doubled his side’s advantage with a drilled shot from the left provided by Karim Benzema.
After the match, Ancelotti said: “The team played very well, especially bearing in mind we didn’t have much time to prepare. The game worked out pretty well.
“I think we might be starting a very important cycle. We have a squad of extraordinary quality – I am fortunate to be able to coach an outstanding group of players. It’s hard to improve this team. We have an outstanding set of players, and it is important to use the squad to its full capacity. To be competitive in all competitions we need to rotate players.”
Cristiano Ronaldo also said: “I managed to score and that gave me confidence, and I am going to continue to work to improve my level.
“We realised it would be a complex game, but we played well and created opportunities. We played with intensity, and we were justified winners, which is why we are taking the cup back home.”
