Real Madrid win in Bilbao to maintain slim title hopes

     MADRID, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Kaka scored two penalties（处罚惩罚） as Real Madrid won 3-0 away to Athletic¹ Club Bilbao in the Spanish BBVA Primera Liga on Saturday night.

    The win means that Madrid still have a slight chance of overtaking FC Barcelona at the top of the league table and was rewarded for a solid defensive² display against a home side that placed too much emphasis on physical effort and forgot to play enough constructive³ football.

    Madrid coach Jose Mourinho revolutionized his starting 11 ahead of next week's Champions League trip to play Tottenham.

    Kaka and Gonzalo Higuain came into the starting 11, while players such as Xabi Alonso, Cristiano Ronaldo were rested along with Ricardo Carvalho.

    Athletic meanwhile had their strongest starting 11 available with Fernando Llorente and Gaizka Toquero leading the attack.

    As expected in a game between Athletic and Madrid, things kicked off at a fast pace and Angel Di Maria fired wide from the edge of the Athletic penalty area.

    Madrid took the lead from the penalty spot after 13 minutes. Athletic keeper Gorka Iraizoz rashly brought down Di Maria and Kaka sent him the wrong way from the penalty spot.

    Gonzalo Higuain could have doubled Madrid's lead, but Gorka made a good save from his drive, while Di Maria saw an attempted chip drift wide.

    The home side came to life in the closing minutes of the half, Carlos Gurpegui saw a shot slip wide from the edge of the penalty area, before Iker Casillas tipped a Toquero header over the bar.

    Kaka scored his second penalty of the game after 53 minutes. Di Maria was adjudged to have been fouled⁴ by Xabi Castillo by referee⁵ Clos Gomez although the contact was minimal⁶ and the Brazilian again fooled Gorka.

    At the other end Toquero rifled a shot wide and Llorente headed wide a cross from his partner in attack.

    Ronaldo came on as a substitute and added Madrid's third goal of the night after cutting in and scoring with his right foot. That goal killed off any chance Athletic had of getting back into the match and keeps alive Madrid's slim hopes of winning the title.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

1 athletic   

adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的

参考例句：

• This area has been marked off for athletic practice.这块地方被划出来供体育训练之用。
• He is an athletic star.他是一个运动明星。

2 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

3 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

4 fouled   

v.使污秽( foul的过去式和过去分词 )；弄脏；击球出界；（通常用废物）弄脏

参考例句：

• Blue suit and reddish-brown socks!He had fouled up again. 蓝衣服和红褐色短袜！他又搞错了。
• The whole river has been fouled up with filthy waste from factories. 整条河都被工厂的污秽废物污染了。

5 referee   

n.裁判员．仲裁人，代表人，鉴定人

参考例句：

• The team was left raging at the referee's decision.队员们对裁判员的裁决感到非常气愤。
• The referee blew a whistle at the end of the game.裁判在比赛结束时吹响了哨子。

6 minimal   

adj.尽可能少的，最小的

参考例句：

• They referred to this kind of art as minimal art.他们把这种艺术叫微型艺术。
• I stayed with friends, so my expenses were minimal.我住在朋友家，所以我的花费很小。