Madrid march into knockout, yet to concede a goal

Updated: 2011-11-03 09:40

(Agencies)

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LYON, France - Cristiano Ronaldo scored both goals as Real Madrid beat Lyon 2-0 Wednesday to keep a perfect record in Group D of the Champions League and advance to the knockout stage.Ronaldo opened the scoring in the 24th minute by curling home a free kick.

The Portugal winger then notched his 100th goal for the Spanish club by converting a penalty in the 69th after Lyon fullback Mouhamadou Dabo had fouled him.

Madrid tops Group D with 12 points, five clear of Ajax, which routed Dinamo Zagreb 4-0. Lyon remains third with four points. Madrid is the only team in the group stage that has won all its matches and has yet to concede a goal. It outplayed Lyon by stifling the hosts in midfield with its pressing.

Madrid striker Karim Benzema collected a through ball from Mesut Oezil to be clean through but was denied by goalkeeper Hugo Lloris in the 10th. Madrid threatened again in the 23rd. Oezil found Benzema with a backheel flick but Lyon midfielder Yoann Gourcuff stopped the play by shoving Benzema on the edge of the box. Ronaldo exploited a crack in the Lyon wall from the ensuing free kick to place the ball out of the goalkeeper's reach.

Madrid came close to adding a second goal before halftime. Lassana Diarra played Oezil in but Lloris came off his line to knock the ball away in the 29th. The France goalkeeper saved his team again in the 32nd by parrying a shot from Benzema from Ronaldo's pass. Madrid winger Angel Di Maria led a counterattack in the 44th and fed Oezil but the Germany playmaker's tame effort was no trouble for Lloris.

Lyon nearly equalized twice against the run of play. Winger Jimmy Briand chested down a high cross from Dabo to shoot straight at goalkeeper Iker Casillas in the 35th. On the stroke of halftime, Lyon striker Bafetimbi Gomis won the ball in midfield to release Gourcuff down the right wing, but Casillas tipped Gourcuff's powerful strike over the bar.

Ronaldo threatened a couple of times in the second half before firing the spot kick into the middle of the net to make it 2-0. Lloris prevented Madrid from adding a third goal by stopping a low curling shot from Di Maria in the 73rd.Madrid hosts Dinamo on Nov 22 while Ajax visits Lyon.