ed a one-two with Musa for a close-range shot that was par

MADRID -- For Cristiano Ronaldo, theres clearly something special about playing Atletico Madrid.Ronaldo is used to performing well regardless of the opponent but the star forward often finds another level against Real Madrids crosstown rival.No one has done better than him in the Madrid derby, not even the great Alfredo Di Stefano.With his hat trick on Saturday in the 3-0 win at the Vicente Calderon Stadium, Ronaldo reached 18 goals to surpass the former Madrid great as the derbys top all-time goal scorer.To score three goals in a game like this is something that only the great players can do, said former Real Madrid forward Emilio Butragueno, currently a club director. The great players show what they can do in games of this magnitude. Its a privilege to have a player like Ronaldo playing for this club.Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said Ronaldos performance on Saturday should put an end to the debate over best player of the year award.I never had any doubt in my mind, Zidane said. He has shown that he deserves it all season long.Ronaldos performance was tough on Atletico, coming in the last Spanish league derby at the Calderon before the club moves into a new venue next season.A good result at the emotionally charged game was a matter of honor for Atletico players and fans. Watching Madrid run rampant at its ground was tough for the die-hard crowd that has packed the Calderon for the last 50 years.Atletico had been doing well against Madrid recently, unbeaten in six league games, but supporters still remember painful defeats in Champions League finals, when Ronaldo played key roles. The 31-year-old forward scored Madrids final goal in extra time in the 4-1 win in 2014, and converted the decisive penalty kick in the shootout in last seasons final in Milan.Ronaldo has scored against Atletico in three different competitions, with 11 goals coming in the Spanish league, six in the Copa del Rey and one in the Champions League.Di Stefano, who played for the club from 1953-64, scored 17 goals against Atletico.It was Ronaldos second hat trick at the Calderon, giving him a total of seven goals at the stadium that will be demolished after Atletico moves out. The other hat trick came in his first season with Madrid in 2012, and he also netted at the venue in 2014.Ronaldo scored Saturday with a free kick that deflected off the wall in the first half. He converted a penalty kick in the second after being fouled in the area and sealed the victory with an easy close-range shot after a pass by Gareth Bale.The win at the Calderon left Madrid four points clear of Barcelona, and nine points in front of Atletico, significantly diminishing the rivals title chances after only 12 matches.Madrid hasnt won the Spanish league title since 2012.---Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoniCheap Detroit Pistons Jerseys .C. -- Kemba Walker and the Charlotte Bobcats got off to a fast start, and the Sacramento Kings were never quite able to catch up. Cheap Swingman Pistons Jerseys . -- Three close looks at the bucket, three misses. http://www.cheappistonsjerseys.com/ .ca NFL Power Rankings, overtaking the Denver Broncos and remaining ahead of NFC competition San Francisco, Carolina and New Orleans. Cheap Pistons Jerseys Authentic . First off, the fans ripped the Cubbies introduction of a fuzzy new kid-friendly mascot named "Clark". 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"Paul sent me a text this morning, just told me he loved me and wanted to go out and fight as hard as I would any other day," Simpson said Sunday after doing just that.HULL, England -- Leicester opened its title defense with a shock 2-1 loss to newly-promoted Hull on the first day of the Premier League season on Saturday.Having sprung one of soccers biggest surprises by winning the league last season, Leicester was on the receiving end of an upset after Robert Snodgrass rifled home Hulls winner in the 57th minute.Despite facing a side that was already mired in difficulties off the pitch, Leicester became the first champion to lose its opening league game of the following season since the Premier League began in 1992-93.Hull is still without a manager after Steve Bruce left in July, and a club that only secured promotion through the Championship playoffs has been badly hit by both injuries and protests by fans against its owners.I thought the players had it in them to produce something, Hulls caretaker manager Mike Phelan told Sky Sports. Obviously characters a big issue when a lot of things are not going your way in preseason... a lot of the time it was fingers crossed to make sure that we had enough players to get out onto this field today.But all credit to the football players. They showed a lot of the determination... At this level, you have to master the ball, you have to take the ball and play with confidence, character and courage. And I thought everything came out today.Along with the missed chances, Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri pointed to a lack of teamwork from his side.We made a lot of effort but not as a team, and they defended very well and they tried to play counter-attack and played well, the Italian said.They played better, we tried to do our best. The effort was amazing, but individual effort -- not as a team. And I think this is the key of the match.Despite the backdrop to its top-flight return, Hull took the lead in first-half stoppage time with an acrobatic shot by Adama Diomande.Leicester equalized with a penalty converted by Riyad Mahrez almost immediatelyy after the re-start, but Snodgrass restored Hulls lead for good in the 57th minute with a powerful low shot from inside the area.ddddddddddddIt was a particularly frustrating afternoon for England striker Jamie Vardy, whose 24 Premier League goals propelled Leicester to the title last season but who missed a string of first-half chances on Saturday.He began by completely miskicking an inviting cut-back from Ahmed Musa on the Nigerian forwards debut in the 20th minute. Mahrez then pounced on the loose ball but the Leicester playmaker could only send a rising shot into the side netting.Leicester nearly made the breakthrough when Christian Fuchs worked a one-two with Musa for a close-range shot that was parried by Hull goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic. Vardy met the rebound with a shot that was charged down and Mahrez followed up with a short run and a curling drive that flew wide of the post.The chances kept coming for the champions, who missed yet another chance two minutes before the break. Musa intercepted a sloppy pass and burst forward before sliding the ball to Vardy -- who sent his shot skyward.Just as it looked likely to finish level at the break, Hull took the lead against the run of play. A header from Curtis Davies was just tipped away by Kasper Schmeichel but Diomande leapt into the air to hook the ball into the far corner of the net.Leicesters luck changed within seconds of the restart, with the visitors gifted an equalizer after a clumsy challenge by Tom Huddlestone on Demarai Gray on the edge of the area. Mahrez blasted his spot-kick straight down the middle as Jakupovic dived.Snodgrass replied by scoring Hulls winner with a fine left-foot shot on the bounce, following a partial clearance by a Leicester back line that lacked composure without suspended central defender Robert Huth. ' ' '