Brazilian World Cup hero Ronaldo shrugged off a thigh strain and a late fitness test to score a goal in Real Madrid's 2-1 victory over Villarreal on Saturday.

Real's win means that they leapfrog Valencia to go top of the Spanish first division, but their lead may only last 24 hours as the 2001-02 champions play host to Osasuna on Sunday.

Madrid have 46 points from 21 games with Valencia two points back.

Ronaldo picked up the thigh strain in Wednesday's 3-0 Spanish Cup win over Valencia, but he was still capable of unleashing a vicious shot from 20 metres to grab Real's second goal after 54 minutes.

Carlos Queiroz preferred not to single out his star Brazilian for praise - but the Real coach could scarcely contain his glee at an outstanding performance which will help silence a recent volley of criticism.

"Real were playing like a team, compact and dominating. We've shown our rivals that it will be very difficult to get a point at the Bernabeu," said the Portuguese coach.

Queiroz did have a few special words for England captain David Beckham, just three days after he was given his marching orders against Valencia.

"His work rate was fantastic. Everybody is enjoying what he does as part of the squad."

Real have now won all 11 of their league games in the Bernabeu this season and were in the driving seat from the outset, although fifth-placed Villarreal didn't lack ambition and contributed to an entertaining game.

After a few early forays by the visitors, who were trying to exploit and expose Real's makeshift central defence, the reigning Spanish champions went ahead from Santiago Solari after 15 minutes.

The Argentine utility player, who has played everywhere from left back to centre forward but was deputizing in the midfield for Zinedine Zidane, played a clever one-two with Luis Figo before firing home under the diving body of Villarreal goalkeeper Jose Manuel Reina.

However, Villarreal kept going forward in a bid to pull level and Real Madrid will have been grateful to keeper Iker Casillas for thwarting Brazilian marksman Sonny Anderson on several occasions.

Ronaldo's goal, from an alert lateral pass by Jose Maria `Guti' Gutierrez on the left wing, meant Real could relax a fraction for the remainder of the game, although their frailty at the back was confirmed when Villarreal got a late consolation goal.

Three minutes from time, Sergio Ballesteros rose high above a motionless Real defence to head home a corner, the defender's first goal for three seasons.

Nevertheless, Queiroz could afford to cast aside any criticism on this occasion.

"If we don't have people who defend well against headers, they are in the team for their other qualities. It is also only the second goal we've conceded (in the league) to a header," added Queiroz.

The game will be chiefly remembered for Ronaldo's thunderbolt, his 16th league goal of the season, but, to be fair, it was almost the only contribution of the night for the league's leading scorer.

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