Real's Cristiano Ronaldo, right, scores his side's 3rd goal past Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller during a Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, April 2. (AP Photo)
Cristiano Ronaldo has equalled the 14-goal total for a UEFA Champions League season, matching Lionel Messi and European Cup record holder José Altafini
MADRID, April 3 (AP): Cristiano Ronaldo scored a record equaling goal before exiting to injury as Real Madrid beat Borussia Dortmund 3-0 on Wednesday to take a big step toward the Champions League semifinals. Ronaldo netted his 14th goal of the season in Europe's top competition to give Madrid a clear advantage ahead of next week's quarterfinal return leg in Germany. But it came at a price as the Portugal forward, who came into the first-leg nursing a sore left knee, came off in the 80th minute.
Gareth Bale scored early and Isco added another before the half hour mark at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. "Ronaldo has a problem with his knee but at this moment I'm not worried about it," Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said.
The Spaniards opened against Dortmund as the Germans had against them in the semifinals last season — when they thrashed Madrid 4-1 en route to reaching the final with a 4-3 victory on aggregate.
Madrid certainly didn't need inspiration after last seasons' loss to Dortmund, which was without suspended striker Robert Lewandowski and five more regulars to injury as it fielded just four of the players present in last season's 4-1 win.
"The goals we gave up tonight were not because of this," Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp said. "It was too easy (for them), and that's not what we wanted. We made some mistakes and we were punished."
The energetic start saw Bale nearly miss Dani Carvajal's short pass inside the area before stretching to toe poke his fifth goal of the competition under goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller after just three minutes.
Weidenfeller was sharp despite Madrid's early onslaught as he punched free kicks from Ronaldo and Bale over the bar. He also stayed in the game despite wincing in pain after Marco Reus made a clearance that also connected with the 'keeper's hands.
With forward Angel Di Maria out to a gastro virus, Isco showed good poise to gather a loose ball in front of the area and slide home a low shot for 2-0 in the 27th minute. The Spain midfielder's goal was just the boost Madrid needed as Dortmund began to find its rhythm, with Kevin Grosskreutz forcing Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas into a low stop in the 33rd.
