Ronaldo sends Real through to Champions League

Ronaldo scored twice to set Real Madrid on their way to a 3-1 win over Wisla Krakow on Wednesday and lead the nine-times European Cup winners through to the Champions League group phase on a 5-1 aggregate.

Real, forced to go through the qualifying round after finishing fourth in the league last season, added to their 2-0 lead from the away leg with Ronaldo's first in the third minute.

Portuguese midfielder Luis Figo skipped his way down the right wing, clipped in a neat pass across the face of the goal and Ronaldo bundled the ball in at the far post.

The Brazilian struck again on 31 minutes with a similar goal, controlling the ball with his thigh and then poking it home after defender Michel Salgado had swung in a cross.

Ronaldo could have claimed his hat-trick before the half was out when he danced his way past the Wisla defence but the Brazilian saw his powerful shot blocked by keeper Radoslaw Madjdan.

Raul, still struggling for form, scooped wide after being put through by Zinedine Zidane and the outstanding Figo had three stinging shots beaten away by Madjdan.

Wisla posed little threat and Real goalkeeper Iker Casillas was only pressed into action seriously on two occasions when he parried long-range efforts from striker Maciej Zurawski.

Francisco Pavon powered in a header from a Roberto Carlos corner in the 85th minute but Real's evening finished on a slightly damp note when midfielder Damian Gorawski nipped in ahead of Walter Samuel and poked in Zurawski's cross a minute from time.