Internet Desk: Real Madrid beat AS Roma 2-0 in their Champions League last-16 first leg at the Stadio Olimpico, with away goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Jese giving them the upper hand.
Ronaldo, who hadn’t scored an away goal in any competition since Nov. 29, put Real Madrid up 1-0 in the 57th minute with a curled effort that deflected past Roma goalkeeper.
Real dominated possession in the first half, pinning Roma back in their defensive third for large chunks of the game, but couldn’t find a way through.
Roma looked dangerous on the counter-attack on several occasions, with Mohamed Salah and Stephan El Shaarawy creating some open chances when the Italian side broke free of their own half.
Real’s best chance came in the first half when Ronaldo tipped the ball to Marcelo in the Roma penalty box, but the Brazilian’s ppor first touch made the ball go wide of the post.
El Shaarawy nearly put Roma ahead just before the first half when he collected a long pass from the midfield and ran at Keylor Navas’ goal only to be denied at the last second by Dani Carvajal.
At the end of the first half the score line remained goalless.
Roma came out the stronger of the two teams after the break, once again finding plenty of space on the counter. Radja shot from a 18 yards distance was deflected while El Shaarawy got the ball but Navas sweeped it away.
Ronaldo broke the deadlock after 57 minutes when his long-range shot clipped Roma’s Alessandro Florenzi before finding the back of the net.
Madrid defended a late rally from the hosts before putting themselves firmly on the track to reach the last eight of the competition for a sixth-successive season with a second goal in the closing stages.
Substitute Jese was allowed enough time in the 86th minute to angle a shot into the bottom left corner of Roma’s goal, leaving Roma requiring a second-leg special to progress.