Real Madrid’s Isco Alarcon celebrates his goal next to Las Palmas’s goalkeeper Javi Varas during the La Liga match at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid. (Reuters)

 

AFP/Madrid


Real Madrid eased past La Liga newcomers Las Palmas 3-1 to move three points clear of Barcelona at the top of the table yesterday. The Canary Islanders were making their first visit to the Santiago Bernabeu in 13 years, but couldn’t have gotten off to a worst start as Isco and Cristiano Ronaldo put Madrid 2-0 up inside 15 minutes.
Hernan’s header briefly gave the visitors hope seven minutes before half-time, yet Madrid restored their two-goal advantage just five minutes later through Jese Rodriguez’s fine finish. Barcelona can move back level on points with Madrid by winning at Getafe later last night.
“We played very well again in the first-half. We started the game sensationally well and then maybe with the advantage our tempo dropped in the second-half,” said Madrid boss Rafael Benitez. “But we controlled the game in the second-half thanks to our good play in the first.”
Real were without Keylor Navas, Sergio Ramos, James Rodriguez, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema through injury as coach Rafael Benitez preferred not to risk any of his stars ahead of Paris Saint-Germain’s visit in the Champions League on Tuesday. However, they suffered another injury scare as Luka Modric was replaced at half-time with a hip problem putting his participation in midweek in doubt.
The hosts were never put under any serious pressure, though, as Las Palmas coughed up possession deep inside their own half after four minutes and Casemiro teed up Isco to coolly slot home his first goal of the season.
Ronaldo then added his 13th goal in as many games this campaign with a diving header to meet Marcelo’s perfect cross from the left 10 minutes later.
Goalkeeper Kiko Casilla was making his first appearance for the Real senior team after rejoining his boyhood club from Espanyol in July and he was forced into action for the first time by Jonathan Viera’s low shot which he parried to safety. There was little Casilla could do seven minutes before half-time, though, as Madrid conceded for the first time at home this season when Hernan was given acres of space to head home Nabil El Zhar’s corner via the underside of the crossbar. Yet, any hope of a close contest was wiped away moments later when Jese skipped past Aythami Artiles before firing into the bottom corner.
Las Palmas started the better in the second period as Willian Jose blasted over with a great chance on the counter-attack before Casilla produced a brilliant save to turn the Brazilian’s free-kick behind for a corner. Madrid produced precious little after the break, but Ronaldo should have added to his tally in stoppage time when he failed to beat Javi Varas when clean through on goal and the keeper got quickly back on his feet to also prevent Lucas Vazquez’s follow-up effort finding the net.
Elsewhere, Villarreal leapfrogged Celta Vigo into fourth with their first win in four league games as goals either side of half-time from Mario Gaspar and Cedric Bakambu saw of Sevilla 2-1.
Fernando Llorente reduced the arrears 14 minutes from time, but defeat sees Sevilla slip eight points off the top four ahead of their clash with Manchester City in the Champions League on Tuesday.  Valencia moved up to sixth as three second-half goals handed them bragging rights against local rivals Levante.
Paco Alcacer opened the scoring from the penalty spot before Sofiane Feghouli and Zakaria Bakkali sealed the three points.