A David Beckham free kick and a gem of a goal by Ronaldo propelled Real Madrid to a 2-1 Champions League win over Olympique Marseille on Wednesday on Zinedine Zidane's return to the city of his birth.
Because of Porto's 2-1 victory over Partizan Belgrade, Marseille would have been knocked out of the competition whatever the result on the Stade Velodrome.
But they were not disgraced against Los Galacticoswho had already qualified for the last 16 -- and matched their visitors in a rousing second half, highlighted by a fine performance from Marseille striker Didier Drogba.
Ahmed Mido brought Marseille level with a 63rd-minute header after Beckham, the man of the match with an all-action display including a yellow card, had opened the scoring in the 35th with a trademark set piece from just outside the area.
Beckham then set up Ronaldo's 73rd-minute winner by racing back into the Real area to break up a Marseille attack.
He smacked the ball down the line to Luis Figo and it was fed through Raul in a blink of an eye before Ronaldo was released to prod the ball home from close range.
It was a goal fit to be set before Real great Alfredo di Stefano who was watching in the stands.
Zidane was one of the quietest performers for Real, particularly after Mido clattered him from behind shortly before halftime. Zidane was substituted before the end to a standing ovation from the crowd.
Zidane still supports Marseille and last played against them in the 1993-94 season for Girondins Bordeauxwhen he was sent off for elbowing Marcel Desailly.
ZIDANE GALA
Real started the game as if it was gala for Zidane, hardly breaking into a trot as they passed the ball around. But Marseille gave them two early shocks with Drogba putting a shot wide and Mido hitting the ball over the bar when clean through.
Figo and Beckham were the object of rugged Marseille tackles and the Marseille centre back pairing of Daniel van Buyten and Philippe Christanval kept Ronaldo and Raul under control.
Referee Anders Frisk came in for harsh words from the Real players for letting the game flow too freely and not penalising the Marseille tacklers.
But shortly after a Ronaldo header was cleared from under the bar, Frisk blew up when Beckham was clattered on the edge of the area as he controlled a Zidane pass.
There was an air of inevitability as the England captain ran at the ball from an angle of 90 degrees, and sure enough he planted it just inside Vedran Runje's left post.
Marseille were far better organised in the second half and they put Real under consistent pressure for 20 minutes. Midfielder Stepan Vachousek had a left-foot shot saved by Iker Casillas in the Real goal before a Camel Meriem cross evaded both Drogba and Mido as they raced in.
Mido's goal followed the best Marseille move of the match, Vachousek's cross picking him out in the box.
They could even have equalised in the last five minutes when Drogba's shot from 10 metres was superbly saved by Casillas and Abdoulaye Meite had an air shot when clear only metres out.
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