"1-0: The Whites Win Again!"



Madrid beat Partizan in front of the white old-timers, who were watching their successors from royal box. The game went on smoothly as if all the twenty-two players on the field were convinced of the white superiority. The scoreboard, though, did not quite show the fierce attacks displayed by Real. Partizan placed all the emphasis on the defence and charged on Casillas' goal only in the second half. Raul's goal proved determinant and as valuable as that of Mijatovic at Amsterdam Arena. In the company of the achievers of the Sixth, the "heroe" of the Seventh was the honorary witness of another step to the Tenth.
With the control of the ball and the mifield at Real's feet, the game kicked off just in the most suitable way to the local squad. Most dangerous actions came up on Figo's flank, but the shooting failed. The third keeper of Partizan got a chance to prove his skills only after 29 minutes into the match. It was a clean strike by Ronaldo. The visiting keeper deflected it to the corner. All other previous attempts went wide: Roberto Carlos' touch (10'), Raúl's header (12'), a well-aimed shot by Figo (16'), a free kick taken by Beckham (23'). The latter brushed the post. Nothing on the home goal. Had the Yugoslavian fans wanted to see Casillas' skills, they would have had to watch a tape from past matches. But then, we all know about the white keeper's abilities. The visitors did not shoot at goal once leaving Casillas unbeaten.

THE MATCH:
1 - REAL MADRID: Casillas; Salgado, Pavon (Guti, min. 46), Raul Bravo, Roberto Carlos; Helguera, Beckham; Figo, Zidane; Raul and Ronaldo.
0 - PARTIZAN: Pantic; Savic, Djordjevic, Malbasa, Rzasa; Drulovic, Ilic, Nadj (Cakar, min. 91), Duljaj; Ognjanovic and Iliev.
REFEREE: Massimo Busacca (SWI). Yellow cards to Beckham and Guti.
GOALS: 1-0: Min. 38: Raul, header, from Figo's shot.
OTHER FACTS: Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Champions League Matchday 3. Porto won in Marseille (2-3), in the other game of the group.