Cristiano Ronaldo struck a hat-trick\u00a0as Real Madrid produced a stunning 8-2 demolition of Deportivo La Coruna in La Liga.<\/p>\n
Carlo Ancelotti’s side were at their devastating attacking best at the Riazor, with a Gareth Bale double, James Rodriguez’s first Liga goal and a late brace\u00a0from Javier Hernandez supplementing Ronaldo’s treble.<\/p>\n
Defeats to Real Sociedad and Atletico Madrid had put Ancelotti under some pressure, but after a morale-boosting 5-1\u00a0Champions League win over Basel on Wednesday,\u00a0Real never looked like falling to a third straight domestic reverse this weekend.<\/p>\n
They went in three\u00a0to the good at half-time courtesy of two goals from Ronaldo that sandwiched Rodriguez’s superb strike.<\/p>\n
Deportivo were given a way back into the contest right after the break as Haris Medunjanin confidently converted a penalty following handball by Sergio Ramos, but\u00a0Bale restored the three-goal cushion with 24 minutes to go.<\/p>\n
Bale doubled his tally in the 74th minute and Ronaldo completed his hat-trick soon after, before on-loan Manchester United striker Hernandez came off the bench to add further gloss to the scoreline after Toche had grabbed a consolation for the hosts.<\/p>\n
Deportivo coach Victor Fernandez was wary about reading too much into Real’s poor Liga form before Saturday’s meeting, but it took the away side 29 minutes to go in front.<\/p>\n
Alvaro Arbeloa fired an inviting cross in from the right and, although the delivery forced Ronaldo away from goal, the Portuguese\u00a0sent a fine looping header over German Lux.<\/p>\n
Real’s second followed just seven minutes later as Rodriguez opened his Liga account in style, curling an unstoppable drive into the top-right corner from 20 yards, before Ronaldo effectively wrapped up the win with his second before half-time.<\/p>\n
Benzema found himself felled by Lux about 30 yards from goal and, with Deportivo expecting a free-kick to be awarded, Ronaldo coolly stroked into an empty net to give Real a commanding lead at the break.<\/p>\n
Deportivo were given a lifeline right at the start of the second half as Ramos appeared to handle an Isaac Cuenca header in the area and Medunjanin nonchalantly dispatched the resulting penalty.<\/p>\n
The hosts looked inspired during in a 15-minute spell immediately after\u00a0half-time, yet they were unable to\u00a0make the most of their improvement as\u00a0Bale squeezed an effort past Lux following a clever pass by Marcelo.<\/p>\n
Bale added the fifth from a similar position in the left side of the area after a good run from Isco, and Ronaldo grabbed the sixth and his hat-trick with 12 minutes to go, hammering home after\u00a0Rodriguez pounced on sloppy defending by Sidnei.<\/p>\n
Deportivo grabbed a late consolation as Toche nodded in at the near post, but Real were still not done.<\/p>\n
Hernandez, who replaced Bale with 13 minutes to go, first scored a ferocious half-volley from the edge of the area before seeing another long-range effort deflect beyond Lux to make it the first time in Real\u2019s illustrious history that they have scored eight away from home in a La Liga fixture<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
Source: Goal.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Cristiano Ronaldo struck a hat-trick\u00a0as Real Madrid produced a stunning 8-2 demolition of Deportivo La Coruna in La Liga. Carlo Ancelotti’s side were at their devastating attacking best at the Riazor, with a Gareth Bale double, James Rodriguez’s first Liga goal and a late brace\u00a0from Javier Hernandez supplementing Ronaldo’s treble. Defeats to Real Sociedad and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":49546,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[29,3],"yoast_head":"\n