"3-0:Real Madrid Champions Again and with Beckham Scoring the Closing Goal!"



Beckham (who scored a beautiful goal) already holds his first trophy as Real player; So does Queiroz, who made his debut on home ground too. Mallorca could not do much to face the powerful drive displayed by the Whites.

Real Madrid was superior to its rival in the first half, regardless of the result. The scoreboard did not show this superiority because of the good job the visitors did in the back and goal lines (Leo Franco did fantastically). Besides, the white forwards’ shooting was not very fine despite all the chances they enjoyed. Salgado, Ronaldo, Beckham, Figo, Roberto Carlos and even Raul (who did not appeared for a long time after his gastroenteritis) all approached to the opposing goal with some danger in several attempts to turn round the aggregate result of the tournament. It was Raul who eventually scored late in the first half thanks to Roberto Carlos’ generosity. It was a target that the Whites had deserved after not only all their chances, but also their better play.



Night to celebrate
The superiority had to show on the scoreboard and it did in the second half. Madrid solved the game very soon after the break thanks to Ronaldo. The Brazilian was brilliant tonight (who said he was too slow?). Then it was Beckham who joined into the party. Iker Casillas did an essential share with four amazing saves that left the rival without much hope. The white fans were happy to see that the mistakes their team had made during the preseason did not seem to appear again. Apart from the trophy, everything about tonight’s game is positive: the extraordinary shape of some white players such Ronaldo, Zidane, Casillas; the good connections at the midfield, the defensive self-confidence, Bravo’s good response... It is not a bad result at this point of the preseason. The first trophy is already at home.


THE MATCH:
REAL MADRID: Casillas; Salgado, Ra?l Bravo, Roberto Carlos; Cambiasso, Beckham, Figo (Zidane, min. 88), Zidane; Ronaldo and Ra?l (Guti, min. 70) (Portillo, min. 85).
MALLORCA: Leo Franco; Cortés, Ni?o (Stankovic, min. 76), Nadal, Poli; Marcos (Nagore, min. 85), Campano, (Perera, min. 56), T. Gonz?lez, Ibagaza; Etto and Bruggink.
REFEREE: Luis Medina Cantalejo, del Colegio Andaluz. Mostr? cartulina amarilla a Ibagaza y a Ni?o.
GOALS:
1-0: Min. 44: Ra?l, from Roberto Carlos’ assist, beats an empty goal.
2-0: Min. 52: Figo long-range centre shot to Ronaldo, who just manages to beat the goalie.
3-0: Min. 73: Beckham, header, from Ronaldo’s centre shot.
OTHER FACTS: Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, good attendance. Spain Super Cup, second leg. Mallorca won by 2-1 in the first leg.