Four goals from Ruud
Monday, November 13, 2006

Ruud van Nistelrooy scored all Real Madrid's goals in a 4-1 win at Osasuna in Spain's Primera Liga on Sunday. He completed a first-half hat-trick and added the fourth six minutes from time as Real moved into third place in the table.

The Dutchman more than adequately made up for the absence of unfit Ronaldo, putting Real 3-0 up at the break with goals after 12, 27 and 45 minutes.

Barcelona return to the top with a 3-1 win over Real Zaragoza, Ronaldinho scoring twice.

Van Nistelrooy's opener came after Osasuna goalkeeper Ricardo Lopez saved from Robinho. Van Nistelrooy pounced to fire in the rebound.

Fifteen minutes later he again profited from Robinho's contribution, scoring after an attempted clearance bounced off the Brazilian.

After a 43rd minute hold-up, when Real goalkeeper Iker Casillas was hit by a lighter thrown from the crowd, Van Nistelrooy completed his treble in the 45th minute by firing in an angled low shot from the edge of the area.

Valdo Lopes pulled a goal back with a 64th minute header from a corner but Van Nistelrooy struck again six minutes from the end after taking a pass from Emerson.

Three minutes earlier Van Nistelrooy's former Manchester United colleague David Beckham had been brought on as a substitute

Van Nistelrooy has now scored eight goals this season and his haul included a hat-trick against Levante on September 10.

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