Real Madrid moves within point of Atletico
LAS PALMAS, SPAIN » Real Madrid overcame the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo to defeat Las Palmas 3-0 and move within a point of second-place Atletico Madrid in the Spanish league on Saturday.
With Ronaldo rested for Tuesday’s visit to Juventus in the Champions League quarterfinals, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema took over to give the defending league champions a comfortable win in the Canary Islands.
Bale opened the scoring in the 26th minute after a long throughball by Luka Modric, making a run from near the midfield line before entering the area and finding the top corner with a powerful left-footed shot.
Benzema added to the lead by converting a 39th-minute penalty kick. MANCHESTER, ENGLAND » Romelu Lukaku scored his 100th English Premier League goal to set Manchester United on its way to beating Swansea 2-0 and consolidating second place on Saturday.
Alexis Sanchez doubled the lead with his second goal for United as Jose Mourinho’s team responded to a win by Liverpool — United’s main rival for a second-place finish — earlier at Crystal Palace.
Lukaku is the 28th player to reach triple figures in Premier League goals. And, at 24 years and 322 days, he is the fifth quickest to get to that milestone after Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler, Wayne Rooney and Harry Kane.
David De Gea preserved United’s clean sheet with a couple of smart saves off substitute Tammy Abraham in the second half. NEWCASTLE, ENGLAND » Ayoze Perez fired Newcastle to the brink of Premier League safety with his fifth goal of the season securing a 1-0 victory over Huddersfield on Saturday.
The Spaniard slid home Kenedy’s 80th-minute cross to break the deadlock on a tense afternoon at St. James’ Park, much to the relief of the bulk of a crowd of 52,261.
Dwight Gayle and Matt Ritchie had earlier passed up good opportunities to give their side the lead, but on a day when loan signing Islam Slimani belatedly made his debut as a substitute, the drama came amid a tense conclusion.
The Magpies eased themselves seven points clear of the drop zone, leaving the visitors four points behind in the pursuit of a second season in the Premier League.