Real take handy Cup advantage against Sevilla
04/02/2004
Real take
handy Cup advantage against Sevilla |
MADRID, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Real Madrid edged
towards a place in the King's Cup final as second-half goals from
Santiago Solari and Raul earned them a 2-0 win over Sevilla in their
semi-final first leg at the Bernabeu on Wednesday.
Solari
put Real ahead when he rifled the ball in from the edge of the area 10 minutes
into the second half of what had been an evenly matched encounter.
The
Argentine midfielder helped set up the second 15 minutes from time, winning the
ball on the left and working it across for Raul to sweep low into the right-hand
corner with a classy first-time finish.
Sevilla produced a typically gritty performance but failed to take their chances
and Real will have a valuable lead going into next week's second leg.
Second-division Alaves host Real Zaragoza in the second semi-final, first leg on
Thursday.
Missing leading striker Ronaldo, who was forced to pull out at the last minute
because of illness, Real were guilty of a series of bad misses in the first half.
Zinedine Zidane created the first clear chance of the game, teeing the ball up
for an unmarked Raul to smash high and wide from eight metres out.
QUICK
RESPONSE
Sevilla, who dealt Real Madrid their worst defeat of the season when beating
them 4-1 at home in the league, were quick to respond.
Midfielder Marti sent a rising shot over the bar and, in the next attack, Dario
Silva made room for himself on the left before shooting straight at Real keeper
Cesar.
Real
were caught out midway through the half when Julio Baptista burst past two
defenders on his way into the area, but the Brazilian striker lost his footing
under pressure from Raul Bravo.
Real
upped the pressure in the final 10 minutes before the break, but Javier Portillo
and Ivan Helguera both missed with close-range headers over the bar.
The
game turned with Solari's spectacular finish in the 55th minute.
Given
space on the left, the Argentine turned inside one defender on the edge of the
area and lashed the ball across goalkeeper Esteban and into the roof of the net.
Real
picked up a gear after the goal and Roberto Carlos, Guti and Zidane all carved
out chances before Raul added the second.
Real
midfielder David Beckham warned, however, that the tie is far from finished. "They
showed great spirit and they are a very good team and going there is going to be
hard. It's not over yet."