By Simon Baskett
Rueters
Tuesday, December 5, 2000, 2000; 5:50 PM

	Real Madrid's Luis Figo, right, kicks the ball past an Anderlecht fence. (Philippe Buissin - AFP)

MADRID, Dec 5 – Three first-half goals and a thundering 73rd minute Roberto Carlos free kick gave holders Real Madrid a convincing 4-1 win against Anderlecht in their Champions League group D match on Tuesday.

Fernando Morientes after 12 minutes, a Luis Figo penalty after 23 and a long range volley from Helguera just before the break had Real in control.

Carlos's free kick made it four and substitute Alin Stoica's late shot was little consolation for the visitors.

After starting the second phase with a 2-0 win at Leeds United, Real now have six points. Leeds, who won 1-0 at Lazio on Tuesday, and Anderlecht both have three with the Italians pointless.

Anderlecht began sharply with giant forward Jan Koller and the speedy Tomasz Radzinski combining well in attack.

In the fifth minute Real keeper Iker Casillas was forced to react quickly as Koller headed on to set himself up for a chance on goal.

Four minutes later Koller was involved once again as a well-executed one-two opened up the Real defence. His fierce drive rattled the bar, and then rebounded out of harm's way. But the Belgians threatened little thereafter.

After the initial fright Real responded well with Helguera looking in confident mood and Steve McManaman making some penetrating runs on the left.

It was Helguera who set up the first goal when his pass found Morientes perfectly and the Real striker beat one defender and then slotted home from six metres.

Real looked increasingly threatening with Morientes adding another dimension to attack. Raul was given more space and looked dangerous too, while McManaman combined well with his forwards as he moved in from the left.

A darting run into the area by Raul caught the Anderlecht defence off guard and a desperate challenge from Glen De Boeck brought the Spanish international to the ground. Figo struck from the spot to make it 2-0 after 23 minutes.

Real looked a very different side from the one that struggled to beat bottom of the table Osasuna in the league on Saturday. But one similarity with the weekend's match was Helguera's presence on the score sheet once again. His superbly timed volley straight from a Figo corner made it 3-0 a minute before the break.

In the second half Real continued where they had left off. Morientes had a powerful shot blocked on 54 minutes and then spurned a golden opportunity to make it four when his control let him down with just De Wilde to beat.

Helguera tried his luck again with another long shot after 58 minutes, but this time De Wilde got his hand to it and palmed it over for a corner. It was only a matter of time, however, before Real added to their tally.

A mazy run from Claude Makelele after 73 minutes ended with him being brought down just outside the area. The crowd called for Roberto Carlos and the Brazilian defender duly rewarded them with a thundering drive that split the wall and gave De Wilde little chance.

Real relaxed in the last 15 minutes but Stoica's late goal could not spoil the impressive victory that puts them in charge of the competition's toughest group.

They now take a break from European action until February when the action resumes with back-to-back games against Lazio.