MADRID: Atletico Madrid on Saturday completed a good four days as they followed their Champions League quarter-final first-leg victory over Borussia Dortmund with a 3-1 Spanish La Liga victory over third-placed Girona.
Antoine Griezmann scored twice as Diego Simeone’s men moved to within four points of their opponents and pulled five clear of fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao in the race for Champions League qualification.
The Basques play Villarreal on Sunday.
Atletico won the home leg of their European tie 2-1 on Wednesday and visit Dortmund for the second leg on Tuesday.
Girona took the lead in Madrid with a fourth-minute goal from close range by Artem Dovbyk that took him on to a league-leading 17 goals.
Griezmann responded by converting a 34th-minute penalty.
Angel Correa then gave the home side the lead six minutes into added time at the end of the first half.
Griezmann extended his lead five minutes into the second half, taking advantage of a defensive error to fire home his 13th league goal of the season.
With an eye on the game in Germany, the France attacker was then replaced shortly after the hour mark by Marcos Llorente.
Girona’s fifth defeat away from home, gives Barcelona, buoyed by their midweek 3-2 Champions League win at Paris Saint-Germain, the chance to tighten their grip on second when they visit struggling Cadiz in the last game of the day.
Real Madrid, eight points clear at the top, play at Mallorca later on Saturday.
Griezmann strikes twice as Atletico sink Girona
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Griezmann strikes twice as Atletico sink Girona
- Girona took the lead in Madrid with a fourth-minute goal from close range by Artem Dovbyk that took him on to a league-leading 17 goals.
- Griezmann responded by converting a 34th-minute penalty
Cristiano Ronaldo to feature at record 6th World Cup as Portugal thrash Armenia to qualify
- Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes and Paris Saint-Germain’s Joao Neves both scored a hat-trick
PORTO: Portugal crushed Armenia 9-1 despite the absence of suspended talisman Cristiano Ronaldo on Sunday to clinch qualification for the 2026 World Cup finals.
Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes and Paris Saint-Germain’s Joao Neves both scored a hat-trick as Roberto Martinez’s side racked up a huge win in Porto to top Group F.
Renato Veiga got the ball rolling for Portugal, with Goncalo Ramos and Francisco Conceicao also on the scoresheet.
After a draw in Hungary in October and a surprise defeat in Ireland on Thursday, in which Ronaldo was sent off, Portugal wrapped up qualification at the third attempt in their final group match.
They will compete in a seventh consecutive edition of the World Cup, a tournament which the Euro 2016 champions are yet to win.
“We always want to win in the same way — to be convincing and control the game. It’s not always possible, but today we were effective and achieved a good victory,” said Fernandes.
With midfielder Fernandes playing a key role throughout, Portugal made a quick start by scoring in the seventh minute.
Fernandes’s vicious inswinging free-kick from just outside the left side of the box was pushed onto the post by goalkeeper Henri Avagyan but Veiga was on hand to head home the rebound.
The visitors shocked the hosts by scoring on their first attack to equalize, with Grant-Leon Ranos crossing for Armenia captain Eduard Spertsyan to strike.
However, Portugal quickly stepped up a gear and racked up an unassailable lead. Paris Saint-Germain striker Ramos intercepted a back pass and squeezed home his country’s second after rounding Avagyan.
Portugal put together a tidy move for their third, with Neves blasting home from the edge of the box after being teed up by Fernandes.
Neves netted a spectacular second with a free-kick which flew into the top right corner, leaving Avagyan with no chance.
Fernandes netted the fifth in first half stoppage time with a low penalty after Ruben Dias was fouled.
- ‘Now we can truly dream’ -
The Manchester United midfielder continued where he left off after the break, slotting home his second after being fed by Ramos.
Fernandes completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after debutant substitute Carlos Forbs was felled.
Neves followed suit for Portugal’s eighth goal, smashing home after Veiga headed Fernandes’s cross into his path.
Juventus forward Conceicao added the ninth in stoppage time to seal one of his country’s biggest-ever victories.
“Now we can truly dream about the World Cup, I was very pleased with the players’ response (after the Ireland defeat),” said Martinez.
“We’re at the World Cup! Let’s go, Portugal!” wrote Ronaldo on social media platform X.
The striker could miss the start of the tournament depending on whether FIFA extend his suspension beyond the mandatory one-match ban he served against Armenia.
Ireland stunned Hungary with a late winner to triumph 3-2 in the other Group F match and reach the play-offs, with Troy Parrott following up his midweek brace against Portugal with a hat-trick.
