BARCELONA, Spain: With Karim Benzema back from injury, Real Madrid got back on the road to winning the Spanish league after the France striker scored two penalties in a 2-1 win at Celta Vigo on Saturday.
Benzema, who also had another spot kick saved in Vigo, missed Madrid’s 4-0 defeat to Barcelona before the two-week international break as he recovered from a left-leg injury.
Celta took the game to the league leaders, only to be undone by some rash defending in their area and some borderline calls by the referee. The third penalty that set up Benzema’s 70th-minute winner came after a questionable foul when Ferland Mendy stumbled over the leg of Kevin Vázquez. Celta also had a goal waived off in the first half after a video review.
Madrid opened a 12-point gap over Sevilla and a 15-point advantage over Barcelona and Atlético Madrid.
Next up, Madrid visit London on Wednesday to start their Champions League quarterfinal with Chelsea.
Benzema’s brace took his tally to 34 across all competitions, his best scoring mark since he joined Madrid 13 seasons ago. His previous best was 32 back in 2012. His remarkable campaign includes a second-half hat trick to eliminate Paris Saint-Germain from Europe’s elite tournament last month.
Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti missed the match after testing positive for COVID-19 this week. His son, Davide Ancelotti, took his place.
Benzema put Madrid ahead in the 19th from the spot after Madrid defender Éder Militão was fouled by Nolito while trying to cross the ball inside the area.
Despite falling behind early, Celta produced more scoring chances than the pacesetters.
Thibaut Courtois made an excellent one-handed save to parry a free kick by Iago Aspas in the 23rd. Thiago Galhardo thought he equalized in the 39th with a header from a pass by Nolito, but a video review revealed that Aspas in an offside position interfered with defender David Alaba’s clearance attempt.
Celta’s insistence paid off in the 52nd when Aspas played the ball wide to Javi Galán, who squared the ball back into the heart of the area for the unmarked Nolito to beat Courtois and make it 1-1.
Benzema had a chance to put Madrid back ahead after Jeison Murillo tripped substitute Rodgyro in the box. Dituro, who was wearing a baseball cap to help keep out the glare from the setting sun, dove to his left to block Benzema’s try in the 64th.
But a few minutes later, Dituro could do little to stop Benzema’s third spot kick that he sent just inside the left post as the goalie fell the other way.
Celta forward Santi Mina was used as a late substitute after he spent this week on trial for allegedly having raped a woman in 2017. He denies any wrongdoing. The verdict is expected in weeks.
Benzema converts 2 of 3 penalties, Madrid wins at Celta 2-1
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Benzema converts 2 of 3 penalties, Madrid wins at Celta 2-1
- Benzema, who also had another spot kick saved in Vigo, missed Madrid’s 4-0 defeat to Barcelona
- Madrid opened a 12-point gap over Sevilla and a 15-point advantage over Barcelona and Atlético Madrid
Man Utd sweep past Man City as Carrick enjoys perfect start
- Carrick’s attack-minded side swept away the gloom hanging over the club with second-half goals
- For United it was the perfect start to Carrick’s tenure as they moved provisionally into fourth place
MANCHESTER: A transformed Manchester United kicked off interim manager Michael Carrick’s second stint in charge with an exhilarating 2-0 derby day defeat of Manchester City in the Premier League at a vibrant Old Trafford on Saturday.
Carrick’s attack-minded side swept away the gloom hanging over the club with second-half goals by Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu underlining their dominance of a disappointing City whose title hopes suffered a crushing blow.
Mbeumo, just back from Africa Cup of Nations duty with Cameroon, finished sweetly in the 65th minute and Dorgu got on the end of Matheus Cunha’s cross to put the home fans in dreamland 10 minutes later.
But for a superb display by City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and three disallowed goals, United would have enjoyed a far greater margin of victory while the visitors barely threatened as goal machine Erling Haaland hardly got a look-in.
Not only was it a humbling loss for City against their cross-town rivals, it put a huge dent in their hopes of reeling in Arsenal in the Premier League title race.
Instead of closing the gap at the top to a manageable three points they could find themselves nine adrift if Arsenal beat Nottingham Forest later on Saturday.
For United it was the perfect start to Carrick’s tenure as they moved provisionally into fourth place.
“It’s unbelievable, being here with our people, with the fans, the way we have suffered during the season but today we faced up and showed who we are,” United defender Lisandro Martinez told Sky Sports.
“Michael (Carrick) said use the energy of the people and today we did it.”
One victory in their previous six league games, and draws against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley had hastened the end of Ruben Amorim’s reign.
But United emerged from the malaise in stunning fashion with former midfielder Carrick unleashing the kind of attacking display that earned him five Premier League titles.
Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo both had goals ruled out in the first half for narrow offsides while Harry Maguire and Diallo were also denied by the woodwork.
Had substitute Mason Mount’s stoppage-time goal not also been ruled out for offside, United would have been celebrating their biggest derby win since 1995.
A dreadful City could have few complaints as they managed only one shot on target — a header by Max Alleyne superbly saved by Senne Lammens.
