UpdatedAApr three, 2013 6:05 PM ET Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid have one foot in the UEFA Champions League semifinals after having a 3-0 make an impression on Galatasaray in the first-leg of the quarterfinal clash. Cristiano Ronaldo opened the score early in the very first half before Karim Benzema doubled the hosts' lead. Exchange Gonzalo Higuain's second-half header set the effect beyond doubt, and made Madrid's task in the 2nd leg at the Turk Telecom Arena next Tuesday look much easier. Galatasaray's coach and people had insisted prior to the game which they would try to strike the Primera Division champions and wouldn't settle for holding out for a sketch. These were dedicated with their promise in the first half, nonetheless it left them very open at the trunk. Madrid, who've the reputation to be one of the very best counter-attacking teams in Europe, got a large amount of space by their competitors and made full usage of it. They'd their first attempt on two minutes, Benzema going just within the bar after a cross from Angel Di Maria, and they took the lead after just eight minutes. Xabi Alonso offered the ball as much as Mesut Ozil from his own half and the German played a with Benzema, which allowed him space to deliver an excellent low pass into the course of Ronaldo, who calmly chipped the ball over goalkeeper Fernando Muslera and into the net. Can Champions League action be got enough by not? Neither can we. Read the most readily useful images using this week's quarterfinal level. Gala played pretty football but struggled to enter the Madrid backline and were limited by shots from outside the area. Didier Drogba turned Raphael Varane on the 18-yard line and shot just over the bar, while Wesley Sneijder also missed the target from 20 meters. Ozil could have doubled the cause whenever a extended Sergio Ramos header out of defence led to Madrid targeting, but the midfielder, getting the ball from Ronaldo, could not place his photo past Muslera. Madrid's second target arrived just before the half-hour level. Jordan Essien, a shock introduction in the starting line-up at the cost of Alvaro Arbeloa, delivered a higher ball in to the box which fell at the feet of Benzema, who was in area, needed one feel to regulate the cross and placed home from six yards. Galatasaray's best possibility of the half fell to Emmanuel Eboue right before the period. The former Arsenal person rush through on goal but hit his shot right at Diego Lopez's feet. Sneijder, unimpressive in the initial 45 minutes against his former membership, was removed at half-time and replaced by defender Gokhan Zan - a shift which found Fatih Terim's area move to a three, with Eboue driving around right midfield. The tactical change did not help the readers' attacking desires, and they continued to cause even less of a danger following the break as they'd before it. Their intensity was also dropped by madrid in the 2nd time. Ronaldo and Di Maria both had chances to try Muslera, the better of which fell to the Argentinian, nevertheless the goalkeeper had little difficulty with either effort. Higuain came on for Benzema on 65 minutes and seven minutes later made the victory protected when he headed in a from Xabi Alonso. Jose Mourinho's side rode out the last minutes of the overall game with little trouble. Alonso and Ramos both picked up yellow cards which mean they will miss the second leg. Achieving victory was much lighter work for Madrid than their two hard-fought games with Manchester United in the previous round but, barring an entire collapse in Istanbul, they may be confident of reaching their third successive Champions League semi-final under Mourinho.
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