Real Madrid 1 - Dynamo Kiev 0

Madrid: Casillas; Salgado, Pavón, Iván Helguera, Roberto Carlos; Guti, Zidane; Figo (Solari 29'), Owen (Celades 65'), Raúl; Ronaldo (Morientes 80'). 4-2-3-1.
Kiev: Shovkovski; Ghioane (Peev 87'), Rodolfo, Sablic, Gavranic, El Kadhouri; Husyev (Cernat 64'), Rincon (Belkevich 75'), Yussef; Kleber, Shatskikh. 5-3-2.

Goals:
1-0. 34. Owen. Turned in Ronaldo's low cross close to goal.

A goal by Michael Owen late in the first half gave Real Madrid a belaboured victory against Dynamo Kiev in their third match of the league stage. The last time that Madrid had beaten the Ukrainian side in the Bernabeu stadium was in 1973 when current manager García Remón was playing in goal, but they seemed to get off to a good start on a rainy night when Ronaldo's shot was tipped wide by Shovkovski and Figo fired another effort just wide.

Zidane almost put the Spaniards ahead in the tenth minute when his free kick crashed against the foot of the post, and Raúl put another effort just wide a few minutes later. But the visitors gve a warning shot to their opponents when Casillas had to punch away an effort from Kleber, and Shatskikh almost beat the keeper with a shot across goal which just brushed the far post.

García Remón was forced to make an early change when Figo limped off with a knock, and his replacement Solari came on to make his claim for a more regular place in the side. The Argentine winger was a constant menace down the left wing, and he sent Ronaldo away only a couple of minutes after coming on for him to set up Owen for what was to be the only goal of the match.

The game could just as easily have finished 6-5 though, with both sides creating numerous chances after that. Casillas was Madrid's saviour once again on the stroke of half time when he somehow kept out Gavranic's header following a corner, and Ghione shot just wide after the keeper pushed out a dangerous cross after the restart. Ronaldo shot straight at the keeper after breaking away soon afterwards, and Raúl turned Solari's cross over the crossbar minutes later. But Casillas was in action again to save from Kleber, and Pavón cleared another effort away from goal with the keeper beaten.

There was an amusing incident in the second half (for all but Ronaldo at least) when the Brazilian striker got hit in the private parts for the second time in the match, the game stopping more for the players to stop laughing than for the player to receive treatment (although he himself did manage a wry smile through the tears). But otherwise their was an anxious look on their faces, and only when the referee blew the final whistle did they relax. It was a valuable win for García Remón's side, and they are well in line for a place in the next round. But they will have to improve if they are to have a realistic chance of winning the title for a tenth time.