Real Madrid came into Tuesday’s Champions League match against Wolfsburg needing to overturn a 2-0 deficit to advance to the next stage.
Enter Cristiano Ronaldo.
The star forward put together his 37th career hat trick for Real Madrid to send the club into the semifinal round of the Champions League. CR7 scored two goals within two minutes in the first half before adding another goal on a free kick near the end of the game.
The first goal came after a beautiful cross pass from Dani Carvajal that Ronaldo put in on the back post, sending the crowd at Santiago Bernabéu into a frenzy. Take a look:
.@Cristiano Ronaldo tapped in from close range to open the scoring for Real Madrid vs Wolfsburg. #UCL#UCLonFOXhttps://t.co/HJaE4gfraz
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) April 12, 2016
Ronaldo did not wait long to strike again. Just over a minute later, Ronaldo converted a corner kick into yet another goal with this gorgeous header past Wolfsburg’s goalie Diego Benaglio:
Wolfsburg led Real Madrid 2-0 on aggregate, then @Cristiano happened. 2 goals in 2 minutes! @HeinekenSoccer#UCLhttps://t.co/70TvqJVxK9
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) April 12, 2016
Real Madrid came into the match needing a three-goal margin of victory to advance. Madrid was in good shape at 2-0, but if the result held, it would’ve meant that the match would be decided by extra time and penalties. But then Ronaldo came through once again, taking care of things with his final goal of the match on a free kick at the 76th minute:
.@Cristiano Ronaldo nets 5th #UCL hat trick to give Real a 3-2 aggregate lead over Wolfsburg. @HeinekenSoccer#UCLhttps://t.co/XMsMl2AH1H
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) April 12, 2016
The Fox Deportes broadcast summed up the match in one word: “Ronaldo!"
