(REUTERS) - Karim Benzema netted a second-half hat-trick as Real Madrid got back to winning ways with a 3-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao in La Liga on Sunday (April 21).
The Frenchman increased his tally to 21 league goals this season - the first time he has achieved the total since 2015 - and now has 10 goals in his last seven appearances for the club.
Victory left Real, who had drawn with Leganes in their last outing, in third place on 64 points. They are 13 points behind leaders Barcelona and four behind city rivals Atletico.
Zinedine Zidane once again left Gareth Bale on the bench, with Lucas Vazquez and Marco Asensio supporting Benzema in attack.
They initially cut frustrated figures throughout an opening period of few chances, with the Bernabeu crowd voicing their frustration.
However, the fans were soon serenading Benzema two minutes after the break when he opened the scoring.
Jesus Vallejo produced a brilliant last-ditch tackle on Inaki Williams and Real sprung a trademark counter attack, with Asensio leading the charge before centring for Benzema to nod in.
He doubled his tally 15 minutes from the end, heading in Luka Modric's corner after a calamitous misjudgement from Bilbao goalkeeper Iago Herrerin.
Substitute Brahim Diaz went close for the home side in the closing stages before Bale chipped a one-on-one over the bar.
The Welshman made amends moments later, latching onto another error from Herrerin, who had rushed out of his box in an attempt to clear the through ball.
His weak header dropped at the feet of Bale, who teed up Benzema to complete his hat-trick by firing into an empty net.
Bilbao have 46 points and stay seventh, six points behind Sevilla who are in the final Europa League spot.
In the later game, a brilliant double from Goncalo Guedes saw Valencia move into fifth place, as they recorded an impressive 2-1 victory at Real Betis to be in closer contention for the fourth and final Champions League place.
Guedes struck almost identical efforts from outside the box either side of half-time to move Marcelino's side to 52 points, leapfrogging Betis's local rivals Sevilla in the process on goal difference.
Getafe, who earlier on Sunday beat Sevilla 3-0, currently occupy fourth place with 54 points.
Valencia, who have lost just one of their last 22 games in all competitions and have reached the semi-finals of the Europa League and Copa del Rey, were good value for the victory even though they ended with 10 men after the dismissal of Rodrigo.
A second-half strike from N'Golo Kante was enough for Chelsea to beat Crystal Palace 1-0 in the Premier League and send them five points clear of fifth-placed Arsenal. Chelsea had a goal disallowed for offside and twice hit the post in the first half at Selhurst Park, but scored the winner five minutes into the second period when Kante (50
Kante fires Chelsea to victory at Crystal Palace - Football
London: Argentine footballer Emiliano Sala's family grieved on Friday after British authorities formally identified his body as the one recovered from the submerged wreckage of a plane that went down in the English Channel more than two weeks ago.
Family mourns Sala after footballer's body identified
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field | Football Extras: Plane cushions found in search for missing soccer player Sala
Plane cushions found in search for missing football star
Liverpool result at Bayern won't affect Premier League bid
A new study might reveal why a majority of Christian teens abandon their faith upon high school graduation. Fifty-five percent of American Christians are concerned with modern youth ministry. Youth Groups Driving Christian Teens to Abandon Faith — Charisma News
Youth Group Lessons on Faith | Ministry to Youth
COACHES' CONTRACTS: TERMINATING A COACH WITHOUT CAUSE AND THE OBLIGATION TO MITIGATE DAMAGES MARTIN J. GREENBERG & DJENANE PAUL I. INTRODUCTION A divorce in college athletics can be expensive. Sometimes the relationship between a university and its coach just does not work out, and the university ends it.
Soccer Football - Premier League - AFC Bournemouth v Burnley - Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth, Britain - April 6, 2019 Burnley's Ashley Barnes scores their third goal REUTERS/Peter Nicholls
Impressive Burnley fight back to beat Bournemouth | P.M. News
Mauricio Pochettino says Harry Kane is making a "fantastic" recovery and could be back in action ahead of schedule following the ankle injury he suffered last month against Manchester United.
Kane making 'fantastic' recovery, says Spurs boss Pochettino
What's gone wrong for Chelsea? 5 ways Maurizio Sarri can prevent crisis. The Blues suffered a setback vs Wolves with the Italian under pressure ahead of the Man City clash
Sarri proved beyond doubt who's in charge at Chelsea by
Reds must rediscover passion: Klopp. derby (on Sunday), which is a very emotional game. "He can have his own opinion," the Norwegian said of Klopp. "We had a good performance, defensively
Brighton's message to Reds fans ahead of the final day
UEFA Champions League Final live screening - ticketing
Get the latest Iran Football news, Leagues, Scores, Stats, Standings, Rumors and more. Call in Iran for footballers to be punished over Japan melee - PersianLeague.Com (Iran Football League) Club Sites
Call In Iran For Footballers To Be Punished Over Japan Melee
MADRID: Former Arsenal, Real Madrid and Spain star Jose Antonio Reyes has been killed in a car crash, his hometown club Sevilla said on Saturday.He was 35. Reyes, who shot to fame at Sevilla before a switch to Arsenal, followed by spells at Real and Atletico Madrid, was on the books with second-tier Spanish club Extremadura.
Football news - Jose Antonio Reyes killed in car crash at age
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen