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Apoel Nicosia 0 - Real Madrid 3: Corker Kaka
APOEL Nicosia coach Ivan Jovanovic requires a minor miracle if he is to fulfil his dream of eliminating Real Madrid from the Champions League.
Kaka ensured next week’s second leg will be little more than a formality after orchestrating a 3-0 win in Cyprus.
The Brazilian, who joined the fray only midway through the second half, took just 10 minutes to set up Karim Benzema’s opener, a diving header after 74 minutes, before sliding the ball into the net himself.
Benzema wrapped matters up with an injury-time tap-in.
Apoel, the first Cypriot team to reach the quarter-finals, made their illustrious opponents work for their victory, frustrating them at every opportunity.
But concentrating their efforts on preventing an away goal, with Ailton on his own up front, proved their undoing.