Real Madrid moved four points clear of Barcelona at the top of La Liga with a 2-0 win at Elche on Sunday.
After passing up several chances in the first-half, Madrid finally made the breakthrough when Karim Benzema tapped home from close range 11 minutes into the second period.
Cristiano Ronaldo sealed the three points when he fired home a header from Isco’s pin-point cross 21 minutes from time.
Barca’s shock 1-0 defeat to Malaga on Saturday leaves the Catalan side with ground to make up ahead of their March 22 meeting with Madrid at Camp Nou.
“I think the defeat surprised everyone because Barcelona were in great form,” said Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti. “It is clear we have the advantage at the moment, but as I have said many times this league will be decided in the final game.”
Madrid started brightly at the Martinez Valero and should have been well in front by half time. Gareth Bale had an early strike ruled out for offside before Ronaldo smashed an effort from 20 yards off the post.
The World Player of the Year wasted a fine chance when he miscued from Bale’s low cross. Another effort from Ronaldo, this time with his head from Toni Kroos’s free-kick, flew just wide as the pressure built.
The visitors were unfortunate not to be ahead in stunning fashion when Benzema’s overhead kick was nullified for the tightest of offside calls.
Madrid captain Iker Casillas was making his 500th La Liga appearance but had barely touched the ball until he had to make a smart low save to his right to deny Aaron Niguez two minutes after the break.
Niguez was lucky to stay on the pitch moments later when he saw a yellow card, rather than red, for a crude challenge on Bale that, fortunately, the Welshman was able to shake off.
Ancelotti’s men finally got the break that had deserted them early in the game on 56 minutes when David Lomban’s clearance from Ronaldo’s low cross bounced off Elche keeper Przemyslaw Tyton and into the path of Benzema to slot into an empty net.
Ronaldo ended his three-match goalless streak in La Liga with the header from Isco’s fine cross to put the game to bed.
Earlier, David Moyes’s Real Sociedad struck twice in the final 10 minutes to come from behind and seal a 4-3 win over Sevilla at Anoeta.
Real’s Imanol Agirretxe slotted home the opener after 16 minutes, but Timothee Kolodziejczak levelled for the Europa League holders before the break.
Sociedad were gifted a soft penalty at the start of the second period, which Xabi Prieto converted, but Sevilla responded once more when their top scorer, Carlos Bacca, flicked home Ever Banega’s free-kick.
Sevilla looked set to claim three points in their battle for a return to Uefa Champions League football next season when Kevin Gameiro scored from the spot after a handball by Inigo Martinez inside the area.
However, Sociedad equalised when Alejandro Arribas turned the ball into his own net and Moyes’s side won when Prieto flicked home a corner at the near post as the game entered stoppage time.
Defeat means Sevilla trail Valencia by five points in the fight for fourth place, while Sociedad jump three places to 10th and are now eight points clear of the relegation zone.
Villarreal are just a point behind Sevilla, in sixth, after substitute Luciano Vietto scored the only goal in a 1-0 win over Eibar.
Athletic Bilbao were also 1-0 victors over Rayo Vallecano thanks to Aritz Aduriz’s strike four minutes from time.
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