Real Madrid 4 - 2 Almeria Highlights Video & Photo Gallery

Cristiano Ronaldo scored before being sent off as Real Madrid made hard work of seeing off lowly Almería 4-2 in an incident-packed match.

Real had gone ahead in the first half through Sergio Ramos' header and appeared to be in control of the game.

But defensive lapses saw Almería stunned their hosts with two goals in three minutes from Fernando Soriano and Kalu Uche.

With Real looking increasingly frantic, Gonzalo Higuaín calmed nerves by stepping round a defender and curving the ball into the bottom right corner to equalize.

Ronaldo then won a penalty when he fell in the area in the 82nd minute as Almería keeper Diego Alves ran out to challenge him, although replays showed the goalkeeper touched the ball.

Some justice appeared to have been served when Alves saved Ronaldo's resulting penalty, but Karim Benzema followed up to slam the ball into the roof of the net on the rebound.

Ronaldo looked distraught to miss that, but his disappointment was only temporary as moments later he slotted home Higuaín's low cross to make it 4-2.

The Portuguese was booked for taking his shirt off to celebrate that goal, and that proved costly as four minutes later he was handed his marching orders after picking up a second yellow following a tussle with Michel.