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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 4 JUNE 2017 51 Sport SPORTTODAY FOOTBALL Ronaldo's brace leads Real Madrid to 12th European crown Real Madrid 4 Juventus 1 REAL Madrid became the first side to win two consecutive Champions League finals af- ter comfortably beating Italian champions Juventus in Cardiff. The newly crowned Span- ish champions secured their twelfth European Cup in a 4-1 victory. Two goals from Cris- tiano Ronaldo and a goal apiece from Casimero and Marco Asensio gave Real a merited vic- tory in what was a record-break- ing night for the Spanish giants. Real Madrid become the first team to retain the title since AC Milan 27 years ago and have now won three of the last four Champions League titles. Ronaldo became the first player to score in three UEFA Champions League finals fol- lowing his strike in the 20th minute in Cardiff. The Portugal forward's made history with his opener and then his second ensured he overtook Lionel Messi as this season's competition top scorer on 12, and took his UEFA Champions League-record career tally to 105. Juventus played their part in a very good opening 45 minutes but Real proved too strong for their rivals and scored three goals in the second half to once again claim the top prize in Eu- ropean football. Ronaldo scored the first and the crucial third goal, while Ju- ventus had Juan Cuadrado sent off. Zinedine Zidane's side clinched La Liga on the final Sunday, meaning they have now won the domestic league and European Cup double for the first time since 1961. Ronaldo gave Real a 20th-min- ute lead, playing a one-two give- and-go with Dani Carvajal on the edge of the Juventus penalty area, before unleashing a shot that curled away from Gianlui- gi Buffon and into the keeper's bottom-right corner. There was a slight def lection off an out- stretched boot from Leonardo Bonucci, but the shot would al- most certainly have gone in re- gardless. While Ronaldo's goal was a fine one, Juventus's equaliser seven minutes later was a con- tender for the best goal ever in a European Cup final. Alex San- dro's cross was headed by Gon- zalo Higuaín to Mario Mandzu- kic, who controlled the ball on his chest then hooked it over his head from 15 yards, into Keylor Navas's top left corner. Juventus had the better of the first half but Madrid took con- trol after the interval. There was another stroke of fortune for the goal that put them ahead again just after the hour, Casemiro's long-range effort f licking off Sami Khedira's heel. There was nothing lucky about the third, Ronaldo making a superb run to the near post to bury Luka Modric's right-wing cross from close range soon afterwards. Gareth Bale had not been fit enough to start for Madrid but did get to come on in his home city. After Cuadrado's red card for two quick bookings after com- ing on as a substitute, Marco Asensio fired home from 12 yards in the 90th minute after getting on the end of a pull-back from Marcelo to complete the scoring. Defeat means Juventus have extended their unwanted record of most losses in European Cup finals from five to six. Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo scores twice in Champions League final against Juventus as Spanish giants become first team to retain Champions League