20068080.xml

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<XML_File_ID>20068080</XML_File_ID>
<heading>CKN;SPAIN-RECAP</heading>
<msg_id EventId="">4653491</msg_id>
<category>News</category>
<sport>SOC-SPA</sport>
<url>/soc-spa/news/CKN4653491.htm</url>
<location>
<country>Spain</country>
</location>
<SMS>Ronaldo's double inspires Real Madrid</SMS>
<text>
 Madrid,  Spain  (SportsNetwork.com) - Real  Madrid moved to within five points
 of  the top spot in La Liga on Monday after easing to a 3-0 victory over Celta
 Vigo behind a double from Cristiano Ronaldo at the Bernabeu.
</text>
<continue>
<P>
 Real entered the day trailing Barcelona and Atletico Madrid by seven points in
 the table and needed a three-point effort on home soil to keep the pressure on
 the leaders.
</P>
<P>
 But  early on Real Madrid was wasteful with its opportunities on goal and went
 into  the halftime break  scoreless against a Celta Vigo side that sat in 17th
 place and was battling relegation.
</P>
<P>
 In the second half, however, manager Carlo Ancelotti made a pair of offensive-
 minded substitutions, bringing on Jese for Isco in the 62nd minute, and Gareth
 Bale for Angel Di Maria in the 65th minute.
</P>
<P>
 The  personnel changes paid off as Real finally broke the deadlock in the 67th
 minute  when  Jese worked  his way  to the end  line on  the left flank before
 sending  a  low cross into  the penalty area where  Karim Benzema was there to
 flick it into the top right corner with the outside of his boot.
</P>
<P>
 Ronaldo  struck for  his first goal of  the night nine minutes from time as he
 turned  home  a low cross  from Daniel Carvajal  before finishing his brace in
 stoppage  time in much  the same fashion, this time blasting home a cross from
 Bale for his 20th goal of the campaign.
</P>
<P>
 The  result drops Celta Vigo into 18th place in La Liga with 16 points from 18
 matches, one adrift from safety.
</P>
<P>
 Also in La Liga on Monday, Ikechukwu Uche bagged a hat trick and Jeremy Perbet
 added  a brace  to  lead Villarreal  to  a convincing  5-2  thrashing of  Rayo
 Vallecano at the Campo de Futbol de Vallecas.
</P>
</continue>
<time_stamp> January 6, 2014, at 05:55 PM ET </time_stamp>
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