Ronaldo scores 1st goal as Real Sweep Past LDU Quito

New Delhi: Real Madrid will set up a Peace Cup semi-final showdown with Juventus after a 4-2 win over LDU Quito.

Cristiano Ronaldo opened the floodgates from the penalty spot, before Esteban Granero, Christoph Metzelder and Alvaro Negredo all got on the scoresheet to secure a victory after LDU had put up a resilient fightback.

First half

With Kaka still not part of the squad's plans for this match, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo were the only summer signings included in the starting XI.

The first 30 minutes only showed glimpses of the football Real Madrid are trying to introduce, with the home side rarely capable of constructing chances on goal.

Liga de Quito had two great opportunities in the 37th minute. Their first one came when Bieler met a cross from the right wing after a slip by Michel Salgado and tried to score with a volley towards the left side of the goal but Dudek was there to keep the match scoreless.

On the ensuing corner, Ulises de la Cruz headed goalwards but Dudek denied a goal with an impressive save.

On 40 minutes, Cristiano Ronaldo raced through down the left, passed the ball to Guti, who tried to send it over the keeper but his effort went slightly over the bar.

As the game reached halftime, Manuel Pellegrini was certainly wondering what he could do to change the course of the game, as although Real Madrid had been the most attacking side, it had been the Ecuadorian club that produced the most dangerous opportunities.

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Second half

And just two minutes into the second period, Ronaldo started to show why €93 million were spent on him, as he moved past two players into the area, where he was brought down by Norberto Carlos Araujo and the referee immediately signalled a penalty. The Portugal star made no mistake and scored his first goal for Real Madrid.

In the 53rd minute, Real Madrid added a second to the game, when Ronaldo fired a low shot from outside the box and Alexander Dominguez made the save but he could only parry the ball into the path of Granero, who was on hand to slot home.

Ten minutes later, Liga de Quito scored a goal as Enrique Daniel Vera headed home from close range, with Dudek looking like he could have done better.

The visitors were now looking for the equaliser but their efforts were made insignificant just two minutes later as Metzelder rose higher than two defenders in the area, powering a header into the net after a corner from the left.

But this was not all the game had to show as Real Madrid had a good chance on goal in the 86th minute as Raul sent the ball over the defence to Michel Salgado, who had just the keeper to beat but his shot was stopped by Dominguez.

Just two minutes later, Liga de Quito found a lifeline as Vera scored his second of the night after jumping higher than Gago to nod home.

But Real Madrid would still score to end the game two goals ahead, when on 92 minutes Drenthe raced down the left and sent in a low cross to Alvaro Negredo, who slotted home from eight yards out.

After a scoreless first half, few would have imagined that the second period would produce six goals but that's exactly what happened. Real Madrid are through to the semi-finals of the Peace Cup, where they will tackle Juventus. The biggest question will be whether these defensive mistakes will come back to haunt the Spanish giants against a more experienced side like the Old Lady.

Real Madrid: Dudek; Michel Salgado; Pepe, Metzelder, Marcelo; Arjen Robben (Granero), Guti (Drenthe), Fernando Gago, Cristiano Ronaldo (Diarra); Higuain (Raul), Benzema (Negredo).

Ligade Quito: Cevallos (Dominguez); Jairo Rolando Campos, Ambrossi, Araujo, De La Cruz; Calderon, Espinola, Vera, Reasco, Lara (Graf); Bieler.

Real Madrid 4-2 Liga de Quito

1-0 Cristiano Ronaldo 50' (penalty)

2-0 Granero 53'

2-1 Vera 68'

3-1 Metzelder 71'

3-2 Vera 88'

4-2 Negredo 90+2'