Real Madrid 4 - Anderlecht 1

Real Madrid: Casillas; Geremi, Hierro (Flavio Conceiçao 64'), Karanka, Roberto Carlos; Makelele (Celades 78'), Iván Helguera; Figo, Raúl (Savio 55'), McManaman; Morientes. 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
1-0. 12. Morientes. Took pass from Helguera controlled, beat defender and shot.
2-0. 22. Figo (penalty). After De Boeck brought down Raúl in area.
3-0. 44. Iván Helguera. First time volley from back of area after Figo corner.
4-0. 73. Roberto Carlos. Free kick through wall as Madrid players moved aside.
4-1. 89. Stoica. Rounded defender and shot across Casillas from edge of area.

Real Madrid cruised through to their second victory in the current phase of the Champions League in the only game involving a Spanish side on Tuesday night. Vicente Del Bosque put out his strongest available side, with Morientes replacing Guti in attack after the Spanish international picked up an injury in his last match. Salgado was expected to come in for Geremi at right back after defensive errors in Tokyo last week, but he pulled out after getting a painful knock on his hip in training the day before and the Camerooni kept his place.

Madrid took the game to the Belgians right from the start, although they were surprised by a counter attack in the ninth minute which ended with Koller's shot bouncing off the crossbar. The play switched ends and Raúl almost scored seconds later, but he tried to place his shot through the keeper's legs and it hit the left one and bounced wide. Two minutes later Madrid were ahead, Helguera playing a ball in to Morientes who controlled with his right, dragged it past a defender with his left and drove a shot past De Wilde with his right in one swift move. The striker was back, leaving Del Bosque with some difficult selection problems when Guti returns. By half time it was already three, with Figo stepping forward to take responsibility for a penalty kick after both Hierro and Raúl had missed recently, and then Iván Helguera getting his second this week with a first time volley from Figo's corner.

Ten minutes into the second half Del Bosque decided he could rest Raúl, the first time the young forward had been substituted for almost a year, and Hierro and Makelele followed him later in the half, Flavio and Celades both making their first appearances since their respective injuries. Roberto Carlos added a fourth with a house special free kick, although the Anderlecht defensive wall was naive in letting two Madrid players get in the middle, both moving aside to leave a gaping hole for the Brazilian to drive his shot through. As Madrid took their foot off the gas the Belgians attacked, and they got a consolation goal in the last minute through substitute Alin Stoica. But the fans didn't mind, and with Leeds helping their cause with a 0-1 victory at Lazio, Madrid sit firmly atop group D with six points from two games.