Ronaldo scores 1, sets up 1 as Real Madrid eliminates United in Champions League with 2-1 win

MANCHESTER, England – Cristiano Ronaldo made a devastating impact on his return to Manchester United, sending Real Madrid into the Champions League quarterfinals by clinching a 2-1 victory on Tuesday.

The forward completed Madrid’s comeback in the 69th minute to secure a 3-2 aggregate win after the Spanish champions took advantage of United being reduced to 10 men.

Madrid gifted United the opener at the start of the second half when Sergio Ramos turned the ball into his own net.

But the game swung back in the visitors’ favour in the 57th minute when Nani was sent off for a studs-up challenge on Alvaro Arbeloa.

Madrid seized control of the last-16 match with two goals in three minutes, with Ronaldo setting up Luka Modric for a powerful equalizer in the 66th before getting on the score sheet himself.

A game that started with affection for the returning Ronaldo and a 1,000th appearance for United’s Ryan Giggs ended in acrimony.

At the final whistle, Giggs was angrily pointing at referee Cuneyt Cakir as Rio Ferdinand sarcastically clapped in his face, and manager Alex Ferguson made his fury clear on the touchline.

It was a defeat that was hard to take for United — and there was sympathy from Madrid manager Jose Mourinho.

“We didn’t play well, we didn’t deserve to win,” Mourinho said. “Independent of that (the red card) the best team lost.”