体坛英语新闻：Real Madrid cruise past Mallorca 2-0 in the snow

MADRID, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- Real Madrid beat Mallorca 2-0 in a snowy Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday night thanks to goals from Gonzalo Higuain and Esteban Granero.

    Higuain opened the scoring with a curling left foot shot from the edge of the Mallorca penalty area after just eight minutes and Granero, who replaced the injured Rafael Van der Vaart in the first half, added the second five minutes after the break.

    Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini was able to welcome Brazilian star Kaka back into his squad, who was placed just behind Cristiano Ronaldo.

    Their respective injuries meant that the expensive pair had only been on the pitch together for 84 minutes in the past three and a half months.

    Meanwhile Alvaro Arbeloa switched to right back to cover for the suspended Sergio Ramos.

    Higuain's early goal gave Madrid a perfect start against a Mallorca that has been the surprise package of the season in Spainclimbing up in fourth place.

    The visitors have, however, built their success on solid home form in their ONA Stadium.

    Although Real lost Van der Vaart with a knee injury midway through the half, Granero came into the game and Mallorca failed to create any chances and had Kaka and Ronaldo been more ruthless in front of goal, the game would have been over by half time.

    Madrid fans had to wait until the 50th minute until Granero scored the second goal with a left foot volley after Josemi had misjudged Ronaldo's cross from the right.

    That goal ended the match, although Ronaldo wasted further chances to extend his side's lead.

    Guti returned to field as a late substitute. The midfielder had not played since an argument with Manuel Pellegrini after Real Madrid's Cup defeat to Alcorcon in October.