Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in the second leg to help Real Madrid to a comfortable 5-2 aggregate win over CSKA Moscow and a place in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. Jose Mourinho
had opted against recalling Benzema to the starting 11 as he named the same side that had defeated Real Betis
3-2 at the weekend.
A howler from Sergei Chepchugov allowed the hosts to double their advantage as he spilled Ronaldo's
long-range shot into his own net 10 minutes after half-time and Karim Benzema
slotted home the third at the second attempt with 20 minutes remaining. Seydou Doumbia missed a glorious chance to give the visitors the lead inside 10 minutes as he fired over when clean through, but Real slowly started to take control of the game and deservedly took the lead as Gonzalo Higuain
slotted home from Kaka's pull-back.
Madrid, though, began to pin back the visitors with wave after wave of attack and the opening goal arrived on 26 minutes when Sami Khedira's chipped ball over the CSKA defence found Kaka and his cut-back was rolled into the empty net by Higuain. The second period started as the first ended with Madrid on the front foot and Chepchugov had to be quick off his line to smother Ronaldo's effort after a wonderful through ball from Kaka. The only negative of the evening for the home side was to come moments later, however, as Xabi Alonso
saw a yellow card that will keep him out of the first leg of the quarter-final. Ronaldo then made it two on 55 minutes with a long-range effort that Chepchugov should have handled comfortably but instead only succeeded in fumbling into his own net.
However it was the visitors who enjoyed a brighter start and should have been rewarded with the opening goal as Doumbia was played through by Alan Dzagoev but the Ivorian blazed over with just Iker Casillas to beat. Zoran Tosic got a consolation for CSKA with a wonderful strike five minutes later, but Ronaldo sealed the victory with a tap-in after an unselfish pass from Benzema in stoppage time. Ronaldo then had Real's first effort on goal easily saved by Chepchugov before CSKA passed up another good opportunity to take the lead as Ahmed Musa escaped the attentions of Marcelo but Pepe showed great strength to ensure Doumbia could not get on the end of his cross.
The Russians nearly found a way back into the tie just after the hour as Dzagoev had a goal ruled out for a marginal offside call on substitute Sekou Oliseh, who had provided the cross and a minute later Doumbia passed up another clear chance as he rounded Casillas but his floated effort towards goal drifted wide. Instead, though, it was Benzema who sealed the tie with 20 minutes remaining with only his second touch after replacing Higuain as he raced onto Mesut Ozil's pass and despite Chepchugov making a brave stop from his first effort, the rebound fell kindly for the Frenchman to slot home his fifth goal in Europe this season.
