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Champions League, round of 16, first leg

Roma 0 – Real Madrid 2

Real Madrid are virtually sure of a place in the quarter finals of the Champions League after a 0-2 victory at Roma on Wednesday evening. Ronaldo and Marcelo both volleyed shots wide before the break, and with just under an hour gone Ronaldo cut past Florenzi and fired in a shot which took a slight deflection off the defender to enter the net, a record twelfth goal for the striker in the competition this season. A lenient referee had allowed the Italian side some rough tackles early on, but the only time they came close to scoring before the break was when El Shaawary turned a shot over the bar. Later in the second half Ronaldo cushioned a header just past the post, and Benzema and James fired shots wide, and Vainquer and Dzeko both went close for the hosts, who also had a penalty appeal turned down for a foul by Carvajal on Florenzi. However with four minutes to go substitute Jesé picked up the ball in his own half and ran through to fire a low shot past Sczesny for his side’s second. The Merengues have been knocked out of the competition the last eight times they had faced Italian opposition, but unless things go dramatically wrong in the second leg, it looks like the jinx is finally over! (17.02.16)