Champions

A Cristiano Ronaldo double earned Real Madrid a 2-0 win at Olympique Lyon and a place in the first knockout round of the Champions League with two games to spare on Wednesday.

Ronaldo fired home midway through the first half with a trademark free kick and doubled his tally from the penalty spot after the break as Real maintained their perfect record at the top of Group D after four matches.

The penalty was Ronaldo's 100th goal for Real in 105 matches since joining from Manchester United in 2009. Real are the only team in the competition to have a maximum 12 points from four matches and also the only side not to have conceded a goal.

"All the goals are special, all the more so when it helps the team to win," Ronaldo said. "That's what I try to do in every game and I am happy for the team and for the goals too."

Lyon, who were without key players Lisandro Lopez and Michel Bastos, lie third on four points and in danger of not qualifying after they struggled to create clear chances in a one-sided game at Gerland stadium.

"They're a very balanced team, they press very hard," said Lyon fullback Anthony Reveillere. "They are very quick towards goal."

Real always looked on top against a seemingly harmless Lyon team, who only came close in the 67th minute when Ederson had a couple of shots parried by Iker Casillas. Ronaldo's 25-metre strike was blocked by Hugo Lloris as Real got off to a lively start in a packed arena.

Great save

The France keeper also pulled off a great save to deny Karim Benzema on 10 minutes after the former Lyon striker was nicely set up by Mesut Ozil's through pass.

The visitors, however, were rewarded in the 24th minute when Ronaldo beat Lloris with an explosive 20-metre free kick which was Real's 900th European goal.

Lyon, overrun in midfield, struggled to get near Real's penalty area and were too shot-shy when they managed to.

They had a chance on the stroke of halftime when Yoann Gourcuff unleashed a rising shot that was tipped over the bar by Iker Casillas.

Real, however, were in a class of their own and moved 2-0 ahead when Ronaldo netted from the spot in the 69th minute after the Portugal forward had crashed into Mouhamadou Dabo.

Lyon came close to reducing the arrears 13 minutes from time but Jimmy Briand's header from a Gourcuff corner crashed against the bar as Lyon, formally Real's bogey side, suffered their first home defeat by a Spanish team in 10 years.  Real beat Lyon 4-0 in the Bernabeu earlier in the group. "We play some nice football, everyone fights on the pitch, we play fast," said Benzema, who for the first time in four games did not score against his former club.

"The most important was for the team to win," said Ronaldo. "The coach asked us to win this game so we could qualify for the next phase. It was a very tough game against a very good team but we are very happy because we have already qualified."