Benzema rallies Madrid past Sevilla, closer to league title
MADRID (AP) — Karim Benzema got here up massive but once more.
He scored in second-half stoppage time on Sunday as Actual Madrid rallied to a 3-2 win at Sevilla and moved nearer to profitable the Spanish league title for the second time in three seasons.
Madrid conceded two targets 4 minutes aside within the first half however got here again after halftime to win and open a 15-point lead on the prime of the standings with six rounds to go.
Madrid’s closest challenger is Barcelona, which has two video games in hand, together with towards relegation-threatened Cádiz on Monday.
Third-place Sevilla might have minimize Madrid’s hole to 9 factors with a win at its Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium however as a substitute noticed its 15-game unbeaten streak at residence this season come to an finish.
Benzema scored his fifteenth purpose within the final 10 matches with a shot from shut vary after a cross by Rodrygo two minutes into stoppage time.
The France striker is the Spanish league’s main scorer with 25 targets and is having certainly one of his greatest seasons but with Madrid. He had already been decisive in latest Champions League matches towards Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, being essential in Madrid’s run to the semifinals.
Sevilla seemed on its solution to a snug victory after opening the scoring with Ivan Rakitic’s low free kick within the twenty first and including to the lead with Erik Lamela’s purpose from inside the world in a breakaway within the twenty fifth.
However Madrid dominated after that and pulled nearer with Rodrygo’s purpose from shut vary after a cross by Dani Carvajal within the fiftieth. Carvajal then arrange Nacho Fernández’s equalizer from inside the world within the 82nd, a number of moments after Nacho had entered the match.
Madrid ahead Vinícius Júnior had a purpose disallowed within the 74th for hand ball after a video assessment that lasted a number of minutes.
Sevilla has been hit laborious by accidents and has gained solely certainly one of its final six league video games. It stayed tied on factors with each Barcelona and fourth-place Atlético Madrid.
ATLÉTICO WINS AGAIN
Yannick Carrasco transformed a penalty kick 10 minutes into stoppage time as Atlético beat Espanyol 2-1 to finish its three-match winless streak and strengthen its maintain on fourth place.
Carrasco scored from the penalty spot within the closing play of the sport on the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium to provide Atlético a three-point cushion over fifth-place Actual Betis, which was held at sixth-place Actual Sociedad on Friday.
The penalty for Atlético was awarded following a prolonged video assessment to find out whether or not the ball touched the hand of Espanyol striker Raúl de Tomás inside the world.
Carrasco had already scored to place Atlético forward within the 52nd, whereas De Tomás equalized for the guests within the 74th.
Atlético performed a person down from the 71st after midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia was despatched off for a handball that earned him a second yellow card. Espanyol equalized within the ensuing free kick with De Tomás’ shot getting previous Atlético goalkeeper Jan Oblak.
Atlético hadn’t gained in three matches. It additionally hadn’t scored purpose throughout that streak, together with within the 0-0 residence draw towards Manchester Metropolis on Wednesday within the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals, when it was eradicated 1-0 on combination after shedding the primary leg in England.
Espanyol had gained three of its final 5 video games, with one loss and a draw. It sits in Eleventh place.
ATHLETIC STALLS
Athletic Bilbao misplaced 2-0 at residence to Celta Vigo to lose floor within the struggle for a spot in a European competitors subsequent season.
Iago Aspas and Fran Beltrán scored first-half targets for Eleventh-place Celta, which was winless in 4 matches.
Athletic hadn’t misplaced in three matches. It stayed in eighth place, 4 factors behind Villarreal in seventh.
LEVANTE NOT LAST
Levante moved out of final place with a 4-1 rout towards Granada, which performed with 10 males from the 54th after Germán Sánchez Barahona was despatched off with a second yellow card.
It was the second win within the final three matches for Levante, which has gained 14 factors from its final 9 league matches, with 4 victories, two attracts and three losses. It subsequent hosts Sevilla.
Granada had its second straight loss and stayed in sixteenth place, one level outdoors the relegation zone. It subsequent visits Atlético.
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