Ronaldo rises again

YOKOHAMA -- In case there was ever any doubt that it is the best team in the world, Real Madrid made it official on Tuesday night in Yokohama, beating South American champion Olimpia of Paraguay 2-0 to capture the Toyota Cup in front of a crowd of 66,070.

Real Madrid striker Ronaldo dribbles past Olimpia players to score the first goal of the Toyota Cup match.

Ronaldo must love this ground as it was also the venue for the greatest triumph of his career when he scored two goals to win the World Cup for Brazil in June. His memories became even sweeter as he picked up the Man of the Match award and opened the scoring for Real on Tuesday.

"I've had a lot of good luck playing in this stadium and I am happy that we won this title. I hope we can win the Champions League so that we can come back next year to defend it," said Ronaldo.

Second-half sub Guti finished off the scoring but it was Ronaldo who got the ball rolling in the 14th minute of the game with a typically clinical piece of finishing. Roberto Carlos made one of his steaming runs down the left before crossing into the center. Raul deftly let the ball run through his legs and Ronaldo was alert enough to evade a tackle before slotting home with a right-footed shot.

"Today we proved what we can do on the pitch and showed our superiority," said Real coach Vincente Del Bosque. "People think our team consists of four or five stars only, but the truth is we play as a team and that is why we won today."

If the famous all-white strip of Real Madrid pitted against the mostly black strip of Olimpia reminded one of a chess game, then Real was a team of queens playing against a group of pawns, such was its control of the game.

Lius Figo (left) of Real Madrid competes for the ball against Olimpia's Fernando Gaston Cordoba.

Real shifted gears at will but should be concerned about its slack defending that allowed Olimpia one or two chances to get back into the game. For all its flash passing and silky dribbling, Real failed to close down its opponent on a number of occasions and was lucky to keep a clean sheet.

A minute after conceding the opener, Olimpia struck the post off a fierce drive by forward Hernan Lopez. An even better opportunity fell to fellow-strike partner Miguel Benitez just before halftime, when he stabbed his shot at Real 'keeper Iker Casillas from just 6 meters out.

Ronaldo was at times just as wasteful. In the 40th minute, he found himself clean through after a ball from Luis Figo with just the 'keeper to beat, only to loft his shot over the bar.

Ironically, it was second-half substitute Guti who sealed the game for Real in the 84th minute. Midfielder Guti had been brought on moments earlier in place of forward Ronaldo to protect the 1-0 scoreline, but instead went one better, heading in a perfect Figo cross for the second goal.

Figo was in inspired form throughout the game, operating down the right wing, linking well with Ronaldo and creating good chances for his forwards. It remains a mystery as to how he was overlooked for Man of the Match honors.

While Figo starred, another big name on the world soccer stage, Zinedine Zidane, struggled to find the form that made him the best player in the world not so long ago, failing to find his passing and shooting range at times.

Roberto Carlos had the crowd on its feet in the 56th minute when he cracked a left-foot piledriver with the outside of his boot that was swerving toward the top corner of the goal like a scud missile until its path was brilliantly redirected over the bar by the lunging Olimpia goalkeeper Ricardo Tavarelli.

"The turning point of the match for us came in the first half when we missed a few good chances," said Olimpia coach Nery Pumpido, who played on Argentina's 1986 World Cup-winning side.

"Real Madrid is like a 'dream team' and is the best team in the world, but we created some chances and played well. I am proud of my team."

Real Madrid will, however, have to lift its game if it is to remain competitive in the Champions League, a point not lost on Ronaldo.

"We need to improve on our performance when we play in Europe," the Brazilian said.

Figo added that he was happy with the way the team played but felt that Ronaldo could have "scored a few more goals."

Despite Ronaldo expressing a desire to come back next year to defend the title, there remains a doubt as to whether this competition will exist at all as it has been said that this may have been the event's swan song. If that is the case, then it was fitting that a team as great as Real Madrid -- on its 100th anniversary -- could win the last Toyota Cup.