Moreno shines as Villarreal win

Madrid, July 2: Gerard Moreno scored a pair of first-half goals as Villarreal defeated 10-man Real Betis 2-0 to move closer to a Champions League spot in the Spanish league.

It was Villarreal’s fifth win in six matches after the pandemic break, moving it three points being fourth-place Sevilla with five rounds remaining. It is two points ahead of sixth-place Getafe, which visits leader Real Madrid on Thursday.

It is the first time this season Villarreal has been as high as fifth in the league standings.

A 2-2 draw against

Sevilla at home was Villarreal’s only setback after the league resumed last month.

Moreno converted a seventh-minute penalty kick on Wednesday and added to the lead from inside the area in the 30th to become the league’s top-scoring Spaniard with 15 goals.

Real Madrid’s French striker Karim Benzema has 17 goals and Barcelona’s Argentine playmaker Lionel Messi has 22.

Betis played a man down the entire second half at its Benito Villamarn Stadium as Nabil Fekir was sent off after being shown yellow cards a few minutes apart in first-half stoppage time. Meanwhile, Betis stayed in the 13th place. SANCHEZ IMPRESSES

AS INTER WIN BIG

Alexis Sanchez set up two goals and scored a penalty as Inter Milan thrashed relegation-threatened Brescia 6-0 to consolidate third place in Italian league.

Inter were already 3-0 up at halftime thanks to the penalty and goals from Ashley Young and Danilo D’Ambrosio. Roberto Gagliardini, Christian Eriksen and Antonio Candreva netted after the break on Wednesday.

Inter moved seven points above fourth-place Atalanta, which hosts Napoli on Thursday. It is eight points behind league leader Juventus.

Brescia remained eight points from safety.

Inter Milan needed to win to hold off hardcharging Atalanta in the race for third and took the lead in the fifth minute when Young was left unmarked to volley in Sanchez’s cross.

Sanchez got on the scoresheet himself 15 minutes later, striking a penalty into the bottom left corner after Victor Moses was tripped by Ale Mateju. — Agencies