Cristiano Ronaldo nodded in an away goal for Real Madrid to send them into half time of this evening's Champions League semi-final first leg with Juventus locked at 1-1.

The home side made a flying start to the match in Turin, with Iker Casillas called into action twice in the opening five minutes to deny Arturo Vidal and Stefano Sturaro.

A Ronaldo free kick into the wall was the highlight of Madrid's opening exchanges as Juventus continued to dominate, and former Real man Alvaro Morata almost caught Casillas off his line with a lobbed effort from range that the Spanish keeper had to scramble back to keep out.

Morata would not be denied, however, breaking the deadlock just a minute later when he tapped home at the back post after Casillas could only parry Carlos Tevez's powerful low effort into his former teammate's path.

It was the first away goal that Madrid had conceded in the Champions League for more than 450 minutes, but Juve refused to sit back on the advantage and continued to apply the pressure on the shell-shocked reigning champions.

Madrid allowed as many shots on target in the opening 10 minutes as they did throughout the entire 180 of their quarter-final against Atletico Madrid, but they looked for a response through Toni Kroos, whose drilled effort needed a smart save from Gianluigi Buffon to turn it around the post.

Sloppy play from Sergio Ramos did not help his side, and the makeshift midfielder was fortunate not to be punished when Tevez's strike hit Sturaro, who was led in an offside position at the back post.

The visitors had to wait until the 24th minute for their first clear chance of the match, but Ronaldo could not take it as he dragged an effort wide of the post having beaten the offside trap.

Stephan Lichtsteiner then threatened at the other end, but Juve soon saw their lead abolished when Ronaldo was left with the simplest of finishes following a looping James Rodriguez cross, nodding home a record 76th Champions League goal.

Madrid finally settled into the game as a result and should have taken the lead for the first time when James somehow nodded Marcelo's delivery against the crossbar from point-blank range with the whole goal to aim at.

The home fans grew increasingly frustrated as the half wore on, but neither side could find another goal before the break as they entered the interval all square.