BARCELONA, Jan 3: Marco Asensio and Lucas Vázquez set one another up for goals to help Real Madrid earn a 2-0 win over Celta Vigo, as the defending champions edged one point above Atlético Madrid at the top of the Spanish league.
Second-place Atlético has played three fewer matches than Madrid and will have the chance to return to the top when it visits Alavés on Sunday.
Asensio crossed to the far post for Vázquez to head in Madrid’s opener in the sixth minute. Vázquez then set up his fellow forward for Asensio to double the lead in the 53rd.
Celta had arrived at Madrid’s Alfredo Di Stéfano stadium as one of the hottest teams in Spain.
But Vázquez and Asensio punished Celta for its aggressive pressure which left too much space on the flanks.
It was the first loss in seven rounds for Celta since former player Eduardo Coudet took over as coach in November. Celta remained in eighth place. Madrid was without central defender Sergio Ramos due an unspecified stomach ailment.
But this was unlike other matches which Madrid has struggled to win in his absence. Replacement Nacho Fernández stepped in and made two stops to snuff out Celta’s only shots on goal.
Celta lost top scorer Aspas to an apparent right-thigh problem. He walked off the field grimacing when substituted, seconds before Asensio scored Madrid’s second goal after a quick counterattack started by Luka Modric’s interception of a pass by Jeison Murillo.
Derby draw
Sevilla needed goalkeeper Yassine Bounou to save Nabil Fekir’s penalty kick so it could salvage a 1-1 draw with a Real Betis side that was missing several players due to COVID-19 infections.
Jesús “Suso” Fernández put Sevilla ahead against the flow of play in the 48th.
Sergio Canales converted a penalty after Diego Carlos fouled Loren Morón in the box to level for Betis in the 53rd.
Moreno scores
Gerard Moreno led Villarreal to a 2-1 win over Levante after netting his ninth goal of the season to leave him equal with Celta’s Aspas as the competition’s top scorers.
Valladolid Win
Israel forward Shon Weissman scored in the first half as Valladolid won 1-0 at Getafe and escaped the relegation zone. (AP)
