By Vivem Soriano
Eagle News Service
Real Madrid needed two late goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo after being a goal down in the 1st half to beat French club PSG with a dramatic 3-1 victory at the Santiago Bernabéu in the Spanish capital in the first leg of their round-of-16 fixture.
In a battle featuring two of football’s most valuable and richest clubs, the Spanish capital was counting on Portuguese superstar Ronaldo against a French capital side armed with Brazilian superstar Neymar – two of the most expensive players in football history.
Real Madrid started the match in a frenetic pace, almost catching PSG napping numerous times.
But Adrien Rabiot made the Spanish giants pay at the 33rd minute with a goal over Nacho and keeper Navas after he was left unmarked by a shaky Madrid defense.
PSG seemed to be headed to halftime with the lead but Toni Kroos earned Madrid a penalty after he was pulled down by Giovani Lo Celso inside the box. Ronaldo then converted the penalty to tie the game just before halftime. The Portuguese also became the first player to score a hundred goals for a single club in the Champions League with the penalty conversion.
PSG had clearer and better chances in the 2nd half and again seemed headed to the 2nd leg with a precious away goal but the addition of substitute Marco Asensio for Real Madrid at the the 79th minute turned the tide big time for the Spanish side late in the game.
Asensio’s low cross was diverted to Ronaldo who pounced it to the goal to give Madrid a 2-1 lead at the 83rd minute.
Asensio then assisted Marcelo who then scored a rocket for Madrid at the 86th minute mark to give the Spanish giants a 3-1 aggregate lead over PSG heading to the 2nd leg of their round-of-16 matchup in Paris on March 6.