Ronaldo scores 71st CL goal during Real's win over Basel to move level with Raul's record

Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo moved level with former Madrid striker Raul as he scored his 71st Champions League goal during Real Madrid's record-equalling 15th consecutive win as they beat FC Basel 1-0 in Switzerland on Wednesday.

The Portuguese superstar converted a Karim Benzema cutback 10 minutes before half-time at the St Jakob-Park as the reigning European champions, who had already qualified for the last 16, secured first place in Group B with a fifth win in five games.

Ronaldo's goal allowed him to move level with Raul as the tournament's second-top scorer of all time, three behind Lionel Messi, who broke the record with a hattrick for Barcelona against APOEL on Tuesday, Sport24 reported.

Ronaldo's goal secured their 15th consecutive victory in all competitions, a sequence that began with a 5-1 defeat of Basel at the Santiago Bernabeu in September.

Carlo Ancelotti's men have therefore equalled the record that was set by Miguel Munoz's team in 1960-61 and then matched three seasons ago under Jose Mourinho.

Meanwhile, Basel, who had won their previous two home games, fought admirably with 17-year-old Cameroonian forward Breel Embolo proving a real handful, and despite the defeat they know that a draw with Liverpool at Anfield in a fortnight would take them through to the knockout stage, the report added.