Ronaldo's 4 heats up top-scorer race
19 March 2018 5:34 PM GMT
Madrid: Cristiano Ronaldo scored four goals as Real Madrid won an entertaining game 6-3 against Girona to snatch the third spot from Valencia, while second-placed Atletico Madrid lost 1-2 to Villarreal, who jumped to the fifth spot in the La Liga football championship.
Ronaldo opened the scoring in the 11th minute with a deadly first-time finish but former Middlesbrough forward Cristhian Stuani headed home from a corner to draw the Catalans level in the 29th minute.
The Portuguese restored his side's lead at the start of the second half by racing on to a through ball from Karim Benzema and hammering it in off the crossbar. He then laid on a pass for Lucas Vazquez to score Real's third.
Ronaldo gobbled up a rebounded shot from Benzema to complete his hat-trick in the 64th and make it 4-1, while substitute Gareth Bale added a fifth in the 86th after Stuani had struck again down the other end.
Girona's Juanpe then made it 5-3, only for Ronaldo to roar back in injury time and score his fourth goal of the game, his 17th in his last eight appearances in all competitions.
Ronaldo has now netted 22 times in the league this season, trailing Barcelona's Lionel Messi by just three goals.
"Cristiano is very important to us, he transmits an incredible amount of energy for the team," Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane told reporters.
"Cristiano is three goals from Messi and I hope he can become the top scorer because it's very important to him. When Cristiano plays well the team plays well.
Ronaldo's goal rush helped him to leapfrog Luis Suarez into second place on the Liga's top scorer's list, with the Barca forward missing his side's 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao on Sunday due to suspension.
Real are third in the Liga standings on 60 points, 15 behind runaway leaders Barcelona and four adrift of second-placed Atletico.
At the Camp Nou Stadium, hosts Barcelona were quickly ahead against a side struggling for confidence and form and quickly took the lead when Paco Alcacer, in the side for the suspended Luis Suarez, side footed home from 10 yards out.
It was all Barcelona after that, and Lionel Messi doubled their lead on the half hour and but for visiting keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and the woodwork the game would have been over by half-time.
Barcelona took their foot off the gas while Athletic improved and a dull second half saw few chances at either end.
Atletico's title bid looks to be over after two late goals from Enes Unal condemned them to a 1-2 defeat away to Villarreal on Sunday, as the capital side now trail by 11 points to FC Barcelona, who enjoyed a comfortable 2-0 win at home over Athletic Club Bilbao.
Antoine Griezmann's 20th minute penalty looked as if it was going to be enough to give Atletico their 10th 1-0 win of the season, but their usually rock solid defence went to sleep twice in the last 10 minutes, reports Xinhua news agency.
Enes Unal's first goal came in the 82nd minute as the Turk headed home following a corner and he then netted the winner in injury time.
Atletico midfielder Saul Niguez told his club's website: "The match was under our control. In the second half they controlled possession but didn't create many chances. Villarreal were more concentrated and scored from two set piece plays."
"We're going to improve what we did wrong."
Atletico are now four points ahead of Real Madrid, who thrashed Girona 6-3. The Catalan side went in level at the break after Ronaldo's first goal and an equaliser from Cristhian Stauni, ahead of a second half which produced seven goals.
Sunday's encounter between Celta Vigo and Malaga was hardly a classic and a 0-0 draw at Estadio Balaidos did little to help either side's hopes for the remainder of the season.
Next Story
