Ruud Van Nistelrooy posted his first hat-trick in the Spanish League to help Real Madrid coast past Levante 4-1 on Sunday. Antonio Cassano completed the rout for the visitors while Felix Ettien notched Levante's only goal. The Dutchman almost increased his tally from the spot but Levante keeper Pablo Cavallero blocked his effort. Newly-promoted Levante played most of the game with numerical disadvantage as French defender Frederic Dehu was dismissed in the 30th minute followed by Diego Camacho five minutes from time. Real moved up to fifth place on four points, two behind champions Barcelona, Getafe, Sevilla and Valencia, all leading with six points. The Royal club snatched the lead in the 16th minute after a quicksilver blitz that included Mahamadou Diarra and Cassano who fed Van Nistelrooy on the edge of the area.
Cassano With his back to the goal, the former Manchester United man span around his marker and arrowed a low shot into the far angle of the net. Cassano added the second goal ten minutes later when he latched on to a long pass from David Beckham, scuffed the ball and sent an unstoppable drive home. Ettien narrowed the gap before the end of the first period through a low shot despite Iker Casillas' desperate try to palm it away. Real restored the two-goal margin in the 56th minute when Van Nistelrooy poked home after Beckham headed the ball into his path. Van Nistelrooy failed to score his third goal in the 85th minute when his low penalty-kick was parried by the keeper. Yet, he made up for the miss in the dying seconds when he chipped Cicinho's long ball over the advancing goalkeeper.
