Real Madrid 4 - Anderlecht 1

Real Madrid: Iker Casillas, Míchel Salgad (Geremi 70'), Hierro, Karanka, Roberto Carlos; Figo, Celades, Makelele (Baljic 81'), Solari; Munitis (Morientes 74'), Raúl. 4-4-2. Anderlecht: De Wilde; Crasson; De Boeck, Van Hout, Ilic; Hasi (De Bilde 60'), Baseggio (El Said 65'), Vanderhaeghe, Hendrixx; Stoica (Thompson 72'), Aruna Dindane. 4-4-2.

Goals:
0-1. 33. Aruna. Ran on to through ball from Stoica and chipped over Casillas.
1-1. 49. Celades. Shot which deflected off Vanderhaege from close up.
2-1. 51. Raúl. Controlled Roberto Carlos pass on chest and steered ball into net.
3-1. 68. Raúl. Lifted ball over keeper after Munitis put him through.
4-1. 79. Solari. Took pass from Celades and lobbed De Wilde.

Real Madrid made it three victories out of three with what was eventually a comfortable win against Anderlecht. However they were given a fright by the Belgian side, who went in at half time a goal up thanks to a strike by Aruna Dindane. Madrid were expecting an easy ride against a team who had only drawn their first two matches, although Del Bosque was forced to make changes and call up B team midfielder Borja, with an achilles tendon injury to Flavio the latest in a long line of injuries and illnesses which included Helguera, Savio, Guti and Morientes, and with Zidane sitting out the fifth of his six match ban from last season.

Del Bosque's half time talk had it's effect though, with Celades levelling the scores in the fourth minute connecting with the ball at the same time as Vanderhaege to produce a strange effect which took it in to the net. Raúl had missed an easy chance early on, but he made no mistake with his next chance, his first touch winning himself time to steer the ball under De Wilde. Fifteen minutes later he got his second of the night and his club's 700th goal in Europe, making them the first side to reach this target. For the record Barcelona are second with 670 followed by Juventus with 543.

Now the party really started and Solari made it four with a carbon copy of Raúl's second goal, lobbing the ball over the stranded keeper. Del Bosque decided to bring on Baljic for the last few minutes, the Croatian thereby confirming his return to the squad and ruling out any chance of a move to Italy by becoming cup-tied in European competitions. With the game running into injury time Norwegian referee Terje Hauge awarded a rigorous penalty against Celades for a foul on Tarek, but with no pressure on him at all De Bilde hit his shot against the post. Madrid are all but qualified for the next phase with nine points, with Roma now on four, Anderlecht two and Lokomotiv Moscow one.