Javier Hernandez scored an 88th-minute winner to send Real Madrid into the semi-finals of the Champions League at the expense of local rivals, Atletico Madrid, on Wednesday.
The two sides played out a goalless first leg at the Vicente Calderon last week, and the opening half an hour showed no signs of altering that scoreline as both sides became embroiled in a stop-start affair.
Hernandez had a chance of his own shortly after the half-hour mark when he met a James Rodriguez cross, but Diego Godin was there to deflect the Mexican’s header over the top.
Clear openings were few and far between in the first half, but the hosts should have broken the deadlock right on the stroke of half time when Ronaldo was slipped through by James after Mario Mandzukic had been caught in possession on the edge of his own box.
Ronaldo was presented with a tight angle, which helped Jan Oblak to make a good low save at his near post having earlier denied the same player from a free kick.
Real picked up where they left off at the start of the second half, piling the pressure on in the opening stages and coming agonisingly close to opening the scoring when Hernandez clipped a shot just wide having been slid through by Isco.
It was the hosts who looked most likely to find the breakthrough, and they threatened with two headers in quick succession as both Raphael Varane and Sergio Ramos planted effort straight at Oblak.
Both sides traded blows as the match wore on, with Koke heading an effort straight at Iker Casillas and Ronaldo testing Oblak with a long-range drive, but neither could find a knockout punch in the Spanish capital.
Atletico were dealt a setback with just under 15 minutes of normal time remaining, however, as Arda Turan was given the marching order for a second yellow card after going in with a high boot on Sergio Ramos.
The dismissal was the signal for Real to step up a gear, and Hernandez again came close to opening the scoring when he rolled his man on the edge of the box before seeing his low effort tipped narrowly past the post by Oblak.
The Mexican did finally get his goal with just two minutes of normal time left, however, as Ronaldo played a one-two with James before unselfishly finding Hernandez, who had the simple task of sweeping the ball home.
In the other match of the day on Wednesday, Juventus have booked their place in the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time in 13 years courtesy of a 1-0 aggregate victory over AS Monaco.
The Old Lady picked up a narrow 1-0 triumph in the first leg last week and successfully held out for a goalless draw at the Stade Louis II to secure their place in the last four.
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