La Liga | Real Madrid surpass Barca with Ricardo Carvalho goal

Ricardo Carvalho scored the only goal of the night shortly after the break to help the men in white to their first home league win of the season.

The game started with Los Blancos trying to exert pressure on hosts, who were set for a tough evening as Jose Mourinho's men were motivated to win this encounter, following Barcelona's horror show at Camp Nou earlier today.

The first chance of the game fell to Gonzalo Higuain near the 20-minute mark, when the striker was left unmarked near the left post, but his volley floated over the bar. Moments later Cristiano Ronaldo had a chance to open the scoring with a low shot from inside the penalty area after a delightful pass by Mesut Oezil, but Ricardo managed to deny the Portuguese captain.

Higuain could have put Real Madrid ahead in the 40th minute, when he failed to score after knocking the ball around Ricardo. Osasuna fought valiantly for the rest of the half, repelling countless attacks from the men in white and somehow managed to keep the hosts at bay, at least for the first period.

The second half started with Osasuna in a more adventurous mood and they paid for it just two minutes after the break when Ricardo Carvalho opened the scoring. Sami Khedira fed Mesut Oezil on the right wing with a delightful pass from deep in Real Madrid's half, the playmaker raced to the penalty area and managed to thread a low cross for Ronaldo, whose first time shot was blocked by Ricardo, but the Portuguese managed to tip-toe the rebound for Carvalho to score the go-ahead goal.

It was all Madrid from there on as they pressed for a second to kill off the game. Higuain had another chance in the 65th minute, but was frustrated by Ricardo yet again. It was the same scenario seven minutes later when the Argentinian forward failed to bypass the visitors keeper after being released by Oezil.

There were no more goals in this game as Real Madrid recorded their first win at home under Mourinho's reign.

Real Madrid travel to Real Sociedad in eight days, while Osasuna visit Mallorca, looking for their first win of the season.