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Rediff.com  » Sports » Soccer PIX: Dominant Real Madrid cement top spot; Juve held

Soccer PIX: Dominant Real Madrid cement top spot; Juve held

March 11, 2024 12:08 IST
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IMAGE: Real Madrid's Federico Valverde celebrate their third goal, an own goal scored by Celta Vigo's Carlos Dominguez. Photograph: Ana Beltran/Reuters

La Liga leaders Real Madrid cruised to a 4-0 home win over relegation-threatened Celta Vigo on Sunday to restore their seven-point lead at the top of the table with a dominant display.

Goals from Vinicius Jr and Arda Guler, the 19-year-old's first for the club, as well own goals from Celta's Carlos Dominguez and keeper Vicente Guaita sealed the victory for Real.

 

Real were on top in the first half but were thwarted by some fine saves from Guaita, although he failed to stop the opener when Vinicius fired home from close range in the 21st minute, for his 10th goal of the season.

"I'm very happy, I'm trying to be at my best, it's a good time of the season with good games and I want to continue like this, hopefully without injuries," Vinicius said.

"Injuries have cost me a bit this season. I'm trying to help in the best way, changing my game, to be unstoppable, as a winger, as a striker, that way the opponents don't know how to defend me," he added.

IMAGE: Celta Vigo's Carlos Dominguez in action with Real Madrid's Joselu. Photograph: Ana Beltran/Reuters

Real doubled their lead in the 79th when Antonio Rudiger's thunderous header from a Luka Modric corner hit the bar and found the net after going in off Guaita's back.

A Vinicius cross was turned into his own net by defender Dominguez in the 88th minute and late substitute Guler added a fourth in stoppage time.

"Arda (Guler) has a future here. He played just three minutes but I was convinced that he could do something because of his great talent," Real's coach Carlo Ancelotti told reporters.

Madrid, with 69 points, are seven points ahead of second-placed Girona, who beat Osasuna 2-0 on Saturday.

Rafa Benitez's Celta are 17th in the standings with 24 points, just one place above the relegation zone.

"We are still in a position out of relegation, we are upset about the defeat but we are trying to recover already thinking about the other matches," former Madrid manager Benitez said.

IMAGE: Atalanta's Berat Djimsiti in action with Juventus' Samuel Iling-Junior. Photograph: Massimo Pinca/Reuters

Juve held to 2-2 draw

Juventus were held to a 2-2 draw by Atalanta in Serie A at Allianz Stadium on Sunday, as goals from Andrea Cambiaso and Arkadiusz Milik were cancelled out by a brace from the visitors' Teun Koopmeiners.

The match unfolded like a rollercoaster, with Koopmeiners striking first, Juve orchestrating a rapid turnaround in four minutes in the second half, only for the Dutch international to level the score in the 75th minute.

Juve, who have won one of their last seven league games, are third on 58 points, one point behind AC Milan in second place, and 17 points behind the runaway leaders Inter Milan.

ATALANTA STALLED

Atalanta's momentum has also slowed down and they are currently in sixth place with 47 points, having not won in their last four league matches.

Atalanta broke the deadlock 10 minutes before the break as Mario Pasalic's free kick found an unmarked Koopmeiners on the edge of the box, who scored with a powerful first-time finish.

IMAGE: Atalanta's Teun Koopmeiners celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates. Photograph: Massimo Pinca/Reuters

Juve equalised after 66 minutes when Cambiaso was played through inside the box and managed to poke the ball behind Atalanta keeper Marco Carnesecchi.

With the backing of enthusiastic home fans who could sense the prospect of a crucial victory, Juve completed the turnaround in the 70th minute when Weston McKennie skilfully chested down a cross, allowing Milik to slot it home from close range.

However, the frenzy was hushed five minutes later when Koopmeiners equalised with a low, angled shot from a through ball, securing a share of the points.

Juve host Genoa at home in the league next Sunday, while Atalanta will welcome Sporting for the second leg of the Europa League last 16 on Thursday after a 1-1 draw in the first match.

IMAGE: Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz in action with VfL Wolfsburg's Sebastiaan Bornauw. Photograph: Thilo Schmuelgen/Reuters

Leverkusen stay firmly on course

Unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen eased past 10-man VfL Wolfsburg 2-0 on Sunday to restore their 10-point lead at the top of the table and stay firmly on course for a first Bundesliga title.

Leverkusen are now unbeaten this season across all competitions, stretching their run to 36 games without defeat.

Xabi Alonso's team are on 67 points, with champions Bayern Munich on 57 following their 8-1 demolition of Mainz 05 on Saturday. There are nine matchdays left in the season.

Florian Wirtz hit the post in the 22nd minute before the visitors went down to 10 men following a second booking for Moritz Jenz six minutes later.

IMAGE: Bayer Leverkusen's Josip Stanisic and Granit Xhaka celebrate their first goal scored by Nathan Tella. Photograph: Thilo Schmuelgen/Reuters

Leverkusen, who had to come from two goals down to rescue a 2-2 draw at Qarabag in Azerbaijan on Thursday, showed no signs of fatigue and it did not take long for the hosts to make the extra man count.

Nathan Tella found enough space in the box to head in a perfect Alejandro Grimaldo cross in the 37th minute.

It was one-way traffic after the break with the Wolves defending in numbers and Leverkusen looking to seal their win with another goal.

Granit Xhaka tested Wolfsburg keeper Koen Casteels with a long-range effort in the 70th and Grimaldo and substitute Borja Iglesias also came close a little later.

Germany international Wirtz made amends for his earlier miss, volleying in their second goal in the 87th to seal their win and set a new club record with a 25th consecutive league game without defeat.

IMAGE: AS Roma's Diego Llorente scores their second goal. Photograph: Jennifer Lorenzini/Reuters

Llorente strikes late for Roma

A goal from Diego Llorente in the dying moments of the match secured AS Roma a vital point in the Serie A top-four race as they drew 2-2 at Fiorentina on Sunday.

Llorente was in the right place five minutes into stoppage time when a cross was nodded down for him to volley it into the far corner.

The result put Roma in fifth place in the standings with 48 points, three points behind Bologna, who occupy the fourth and last automatic Champions League qualification spot. Fiorentina are eighth with 43 points, eight behind Bologna.

IMAGE: AS Roma's Diego Llorente scores their second goal. Photograph: Jennifer Lorenzini/Reuters

Luca Ranieri put Fiorentina ahead after 18 minutes when he managed to get just ahead of his marker, heading in a flicked corner inside the far post. However, Roma equalised in the 58th minute when Houssem Aouar headed in from close range.

Fiorentina went ahead again in the 69th minute when Rolando Mandragora was played free inside the box, putting it away from a short distance, but Llorente silenced the home fans in stoppage time.

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