Ruud scores, Real crushes Villarreal
Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Defending champion Real Madrid trounced Villarreal 5-0 on Sunday to maintain its perfect start to the season as tributes to Sevilla midfielder Antonio Puerta were paid at every Spanish league game.

Midfielder Wesley Sneijder scored twice and Raul Gonzalez, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Jose Maria (Guti) Gutierrez added a goal apiece at Villarreal's El Madrigal Stadium to lift Madrid to six points from two games under new coach Bernd Schuster.

Somber music was played before matches as a mark of respect for Puerta. The Spanish international died Tuesday after suffering a prolonged cardiac arrest following a collapse during Sevilla's game with Getafe last week.

Villarreal's heavy defeat against a slick Madrid ended a winning streak of nine games - including the final eight at the end of last season.

Raul struck Madrid's opening goal in the 39th minute by lifting the ball over the advancing goalkeeper Sebastian Viera after receiving a long pass by Sneijder.

Sneijder made it 2-0 from a free kick in the 49th, with striker van Nistelrooy shooting home two minutes later for his first goal of the season.

Sneijder doubled his tally in the 73rd minute when he scored after a flowing Madrid move. The Netherlands midfielder, who joined Madrid in the offseason from Ajax, heads the scoring chart with three goals.

Guti compounded Villarreal's misery with Madrid's fifth goal in the 80th minute.

Schuster left new signing defender Gabriel Heinze from Manchester United on the bench, but the Argentine appeared in the 58th minute as a replacement for Raul. The other newcomer, former Chelsea forward Arjen Robben, was not included.

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