Champs back on song
Youngster Ceballos helps Real bounce back, Atletico down Sevilla
MADRID: Dani Ceballos scored twice on his full debut as Real Madrid bounced back from a shock midweek defeat to Real Betis to close to within four points of La Liga leaders Barcelona with a 2-1 win at Alaves.
Earlier, Diego Costa was an interested spectator as Atletico Madrid leapfrogged Sevilla into second thanks to goals from Yannick Carrasco and Antoine Griezmann in a2-0winat theWandaMetropolitano.
Ceballos was one of three changes made to the side that lost to Betis by Zinedine Zidane as Luka Modric and Gareth Bale were left on the bench ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League trip to Borussia Dortmund.
And the Spanish Under-21 settled Real’s nerves after just 10 minutes as he caught Fernando Pacheco flat-footed by pulling the ball inside the goalkeeper’s near post from the edge of the area.
Alaves caretaker coach Javier Cabello had denied Enzo Zidane the chance to face his father Zinedine and former club as he was left out the Alaves squad.
However, Cabello did manage to inspire a more spirited display from the hosts despite a sixth straight defeat as they scored their first goal of the season five minutes before half-time.
Alaves captain Manu Garcia met Munir El Haddadi’s cross flush to power a header into the top corner.
Real retook the lead just three minutes later, though, as Ceballos pounced on a poor punch from Pacheco to fire into the bottom corner.
Real should have ensured a far more comfortable afternoon after the break as Pacheco made a great save to deny Isco, Cristiano Ronaldo struck the woodwork twice and Sergio Ramos blazed over with the goal at his mercy.
Yet, Alaves could also have snatched a first point of the season as Alfonso Pedraza’s deflected effort hit the bar before Pedraza struck the post when clean through on goal.
Atletico maintained their impressive start to the season despite the difficulties of a ban on registering new players.
Costa won’t be able to feature until January after completing his prolonged return to the club from Chelsea for a reported club record
fee of 55mil (RM276mil) plus
10mil (RM50mil) more in add-ons. “We are happy that a player of his stature wants to come to Atletico,” Atletico boss Diego Simeone said of Costa’s return after the match.
It took less than a minute of the second period to break the deadlock when Carrasco showed great awareness and pace to latch onto a short back pass from Steven N’Zonzi to beat Sergio Rico to the ball, round the goalkeeper and slot into an empty net.
Griezmann then made the game safe in the 70th minute as the French international won a tackle inside the Sevilla box before lifting himself off the floor to receive Luis’ pass and drill through Rico’s legs. — AFP