Real Madrid beat Wisla Krakow 3-1 to qualify

Madrid:

Real Madrid moved comfortably into the group stages of the Champions League with a 3-1 win over Wisla Krakow on Wednesday. Two goals by Ronaldo and a third from Francisco Pavon were enough to see off a disappointing Krakow side, for whom Gorawski scored a late consolation. That gave the Spanish side a 5-1 aggregate victory and a place in Thursday's draw. Two-nil up from the first leg in Krakow, Real Madrid went into the home leg of their 3rd round Champions League qualifier expecting the visitors to make the early running. However, it was Real who opened the scoring as early as the second minute. Luis Figo outstripped Wisla's left back Nikola Mijailovic before delivering a low cross which eluded goalkeeper Rodoslaw Majdan and found Ronaldo at the far post. The ball went into the net off the Brazilian striker's thigh - but not many in the Bernabeu stadium were complaining about that. Just past the half-hour mark, Ronaldo scored his, and Real's second with a similar goal to his first. Again it came from a cross from the right - this time from right back Michel Salgado - and the Brazilian made no mistake with a half-volley from close range. Madrid eased up in the second half - making a number of substitutions - before central defender Francisco Pavon headed home Roberto Carlos' corner at the near post to make it 3-0 on the night and 5-0 on aggregate. Krakow had some consolation, however little, by at least getting on the scoresheet - midfielder Damian Gorawski turning home Zurawski's low cross from the right two minutes from time. The victory marked a promising start for Real's new coach, Jose Antonio Camacho, who was taking charge of the team for the first time in an official match at the stadium, a venue he graced for 16 years as a defender for the club. Thursday's draw is likely to throw up stiffer challenges than his players faced on Wednesday. (AP)