There was no upset on Tuesday night. In Cyprus, APOEL suffered a cruel defeat. It all looked difficult for the hosts right from the start. Statistics spoke for themselves. Negative-minded APOEL completed only 94 passes within the first 60 minutes of the match while Los Blancos had 416 to their credit.
Finally, the Spanish giants turned their mesmerizing possessive and passing game into goals. Kaka and Karim Benzema were the star men.
The Brazilian midfielder fed Frenchman Benzema with a sublime cross. The striker didn’t miss his header as Real Madrid broke the deadlock with 16 minutes left on the clock.
Miserably for APOEL, the Spanish giants were in for more. Fatigue took its toll on the underdogs at the benefit of the visitors. Kaka doubled Real Madrid’s lead with a simple tap in inside the 81st minute. Cristiano Ronaldo later left his mark on the game with an explosive run from midfield and a good ball to Ozil. The team play was finished off by brace hero Benzema.
3-0 is a lead too comfortable for Madridistas around the world to fear an exit at this stage of the competition. Real Madrid are virtually through to the semis. Only an unlikely comeback from APOEL at the Santiago Bernabeu would prevent Jose Mourinho and his men from progressing in the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League final.
Meanwhile, Chelsea forced Benfica to a 1-0 defeat at the Estadio da Luz. The match seemed to be heading to a goalless draw but Kalou had other ideas. His 75th minute strike was the result of Fernando Torres’ remarkable efforts.
The Eagles of Benfica nearly snatched a late equalizer only for Ashley Cole’s leg to save the Blues from throwing the lead away. To oust Chelsea, Benfica will certainly need to be more aggressive and compact at Stamford Bridge.
In the meantime, the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League continues with AC Milan vs Barcelona highlighting Wednesday night’s thrilling action.
For the full fixtures and results as well as video highlights, visit our UEFA Champions League page.
