BARCELONA: First-half goals from Nahuel Molina and Mario Hermoso earned Atletico Madrid a 2-1 win at Rayo Vallecano on Sunday to secure their fifth successive win and move within two points of second-placed Real Madrid in La Liga.

A superb 12-match unbeaten league run has powered Atletico to a 57-point tally to close the gap on their city rivals, who virtually kissed their title chances goodbye after losing to Villarreal on Saturday.

Molina opened the scoring in the 22nd minute after a fast breakaway where Alvaro Morata set up the World Cup-winning Argentina right back for his first goal since joining the club in the close season from Italian side Udinese.

Hermoso doubled the lead a couple of minutes later with a header from a corner, capitalising on a poor clearance by Rayo goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski.The hosts were a man down after defender Florian Lejeune was sent off early in the second half, but left back Fran Garcia restored some hope by pulling one back in the 85th minute with a brilliant long-range low shot.

Atletico host relegation-threatened Almeria next Saturday while Rayo, ninth on 37 points, take on Osasuna on Friday.

Earlier, nine-man Real Betis fell to a shock home defeat by Cadiz, leaving Manuel Pelle­grini’s side sixth in La Liga.

After Villarreal’s win on Saturday they leapfrogged Betis, who could not go back ahead of Quique Setien’s side as they stumbled in an Andalucian derby.

Betis playmaker Sergio Cana­les made his comeback after being given a reprieve from a four-game ban by court order, but it only lasted 38 minutes.

The Spaniard was sent off for pulling down Ruben Sobrino and stopping the Cadiz forward from running through on goal.

Ruben Alcaraz sent Cadiz ahead with a penalty and they doubled their lead when Theo Bongonda broke away and unselfishly teed up Chris Ramos to tap home his first goal for the club.

Betis were soon reduced to nine men on a miserable afternoon for the hosts as Aitor Ruibal twice swung his elbow at Fali and was dismissed.

Elsewhere, Vedat Muriqi hit a brace, including a stoppage-time penalty, to rescue Real Mallorca a 3-3 draw at Real Valladolid.

Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2023