Real come from behind to ease past French

Real Madrid 4 Marseille 2

David Beckham laid on Real Madrid’s first goal with a trademark pinpoint cross as the Spaniards came from behind to stroll past Marseille.

This was vintage Madrid for such long spells, with self-confessed Marseille supporter Zinedine Zidane running the show from midfield.

There were goals for Roberto Carlos, Ronaldo, who netted in both halves, and Luis Figo. There might have been many more, because whenever Zidane got the ball at his feet there was real menace.

But then there were the errors in defence which allowed the French side to go ahead through Didier Drogba.

Mido collected the ball on the left side of the penalty area and danced through the Real defence, hitting a shot which deflected off Raul Bravo, on loan at Leeds last season.

Drogba nipped in between two lunging home defenders to clip the ball home.

A Beckham cross from the right which set up Roberto Carlos for the leveller.

Beckham floated the ball to Roberto Carlos who shot into the ground with the ball flying into the top corner.

Ronaldo was the lucky player on the end of a fine pass across the six-yard box by Michel Salgado, tapping in from close range.

It was becoming Ronaldo’s night when, 11 minutes into the second half, he curled the ball home left-footed from the crowded edge of the penalty area.

The assist had come from the imperious Zidane, and he was at it again a couple of minutes later, playing in Roberto Carlos, who made a mockery of the Marseille offside trap to run free on goal.

He nudged the ball to the left of Vedran Runje, fell over the goalkeeper, and a penalty was the inevitable outcome, with Figo converting a twice-taken spot-kick after the referee found cause for complaint with his first attempt.

Marseille defender Daniel van Buyten scored an 83rd-minute consolation.