Madrid keeps pace with Barca

BRILLIANT JOSE SHIFTS THE BALANCE

 Real Madrid produced a stunning second-half blitz to come from 2-1 down at the half time to record a 5-2 win at the Bernabeu against relegation threatened Mallorca. It was Jose Mourinho's team talk and substitutions after the break which changed the game on its head and made sure that Madrid keeps the pressure on their eternal rivals Barcelona.

The win takes Madrid four points clear of Atletico Madrid in second place having played a game more. They are still ten points behind Barcelona who have a game in hand. Christiano Ronaldo scored his 350th career goal where as Gonzalo Higuain chipped in with two goals. But the goal of the game came from Luca Modric.

Jose Mourinho started in his favored formation of 4-2-3-1 with Pepe starting in the midfield holding role along with ever impressive Luca Modric. Kaka got a rare start in the number 10 position and young striker Alvaro Morata who started against Barcelona retained his place on the left wing. Higuain was prefered to Benzema. Khedira, Alonso and Ozil were rested with an eye on Champions League encounter with Turkish giants Galatasaray.

However it was Mallorca who took the lead. Emiliano Nsue benefited from a pin.point cross from Giovanni Dos Santos and made it 1-0 in sixth minute for the visitors.It took Madrid only nine minutes to respond. Modric slipped a lovely through-ball for Pepe who poked the ball wide to Higuain, who was well placed to control and finish into an empty net.

Mallorca were back in front again come 21st minute. The visitors won a corner from which Alfaro scored. Ronaldo, marked by Alan Hutton, was off color and missed a few chances in the first half.

Jose Mourinho was brave enough to brinf in Benzema and Ozil at the start of second half which tilted the game in the favor of Los Blancos. However it was Ronaldo who scored his careers 350th goal to tie the match at 2-2 with a brilliant header. Two minutes later 2-2 became 3-2 as Modric unleased a powerful shot from 30 yards out which Dudu had no chance to stop.

 Another moment of genius from Ozil helped Higuain to make it 4-2 only two minutes later. All the good work of Mallorca has been undone in the matter of minutes. Towards the end of the match Benzema made it 5-2 to Madrid.

LINE-UPS:

Real Madrid Diego Lopez Arbeloa (Ozil, m.46), Sergio Ramos, Varane, Coentrao, Pepe, Modric, Kaka (Xabi Alonso, m.62), Cristiano Ronaldo, Morata (Benzema, m.46) and Higuain.

Mallorca Aouate, Hutton, Nunes, Bigas, Kevin, Nsue (Hemed, m.65), Pina, Tissone (Fontas, m.83), Alfaro, Giovani and Victor (Pereira, m.77).

GOALS:

0-1, m.6: Nsue, 1-1, m.15: Higuain. 1-2, m.21: Alfaro, 2-2, m.52: Ronaldo. 3-2, m.55: Modric. 4-2, m.58: Higuain. 5-2, m.92: Benzema.