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Cristiano Ronaldo scores four, gets assist vs. Girona

By Alex Butler
Real Madrid's forward Cristiano Ronaldo in action against Girona during the Spanish Primera Division soccer match between Real Madrid and Girona Sunday at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain. Photo by Rodrigo Jimenez/EPA-EFE
Real Madrid's forward Cristiano Ronaldo in action against Girona during the Spanish Primera Division soccer match between Real Madrid and Girona Sunday at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain. Photo by Rodrigo Jimenez/EPA-EFE

March 18 (UPI) -- Cristiano Ronaldo scored four goals and had an assist Sunday in Real Madrid's 6-3 win against Girona at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain.

His first score came in the 11th minute. German midfielder Toni Kroos sent a ball to Ronaldo inside the box. Ronaldo finished the bouncing feed with his left foot, netting it past Girona keeper Yassine Bounou.

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Girona's Cristhian Stuani evened up the match 18 minutes later. Midfielder Alex Granell sent in a free kick from the right side. The ball drifted into the box until finding the 6-foot-1 forward for a score.

Madrid and Girona took the 1-1 score into the half. But Ronaldo added to the home team tally in the 47th minute. This time, Mateo Kovacic sent in a pass to Karim Benzema, who slipped a ball in to Ronaldo in the box. Ronaldo finished a shot with his left foot, beating Bonou for a 2-1 advantage.

Ronaldo earned his assist in the 59th minute. Benzema sent a ball into Ronaldo in the middle of the box. The Madrid star then tapped onto Lucas Vazquez, who buried a shot into the near post netting.

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The next score came after Bonou blocked a Benzema attempt in the 64th minute. Ronaldo corralled the deflection and finished an easy shot from about five yards out.

Stuani got one back for Girona in the 67th minute. He finished with a header over Madrid defender Dani Carvajal on that play, beating Keylor Navas. Madrid built its lead back up in the 86th minute. Luka Modric sent a through ball in to Gareth Bale on that play, before Bale ripped a shot off of Bonou and into the net for a 5-2 advantage.

Girona's 6-foot-2 defender Juanpe closed the gap once again for the road team when he headed a corner into the net in the 88th minute.

Ronaldo capped the scoring when he took another pass from Kroos into the box in stoppage time. He netted the one-touch strike to Bonou's left as the Girona keeper fell to the ground.

Real Madrid has another La Liga bout on Saturday before resuming Champions League play against Juventus on April 3 in Turin, Italy.

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