Hail Region municipality engages residents in city planning    Riyadh to host Saudi-UK expo "GREAT FUTURES" in May    Ukraine war: US secretly sends long-range missiles to help Kyiv    Searching for missing loved ones in Gaza's mass graves    Saudi Arabia welcomes panel's report on UNRWA's performance    IMF opens first regional office in Riyadh Al-Ibrahim: Saudi Arabia confirms commitment to diversifying its economy    Deputy tourism minister: Government fees in hospitality sector down 22% in 2024    EU raids offices of Chinese security equipment maker in subsidy probe    Saudi Shoura Council assistant speaker meets US Congress advisors    Abuthnain: Saudi Arabia achieves 77% reconciliation in labor disputes    King Salman undergoes routine medical checkup in Jeddah    Columbia's anti-war protesters dig in despite mass arrests and disciplinary action    Belgian man whose body produces alcohol in rare condition acquitted of drunk driving    Al Hilal's comeback effort falls short in AFC Champions League semi-finals    Australian police launch manhunt for Home and Away star Orpheus Pledger    Spice Girls reunite at Posh's 50th birthday    Swedish rider Eckermann wins 2024 Show Jumping World Cup in Riyadh    Aspiring fencer Josh Brayden aims for Olympic glory    Revenues touch SR3.7 billion in Saudi cinema sector since 2018    Beijing half marathon: Top three stripped of medals after investigation    JK Rowling in 'arrest me' challenge over hate crime law    Trump's Bible endorsement raises concern in Christian religious circles    Hollywood icon Will Smith shares his profound admiration for Holy Qur'an    We have celebrated Founding Day for three years - but it has been with us for 300    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Ronaldo hat trick keeps Real's title hopes alive
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 04 - 05 - 2015

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo (R) celebrates in front of Marcelo (L) and Javier Hernandez “Chicharito” after scoring against Sevilla during their Spanish first division soccer match at Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium in Seville Saturday. — Reuters


MADRID — A Cristiano Ronaldo hat trick maintained Real Madrid's La Liga title aspirations as it ended Sevilla's 34-game unbeaten run at home with a 3-2 win Saturday.
Victory kept the European champion just two points behind Barcelona with three games to play after Luis Suarez scored his first hat trick for the Catalans in a 8-0 humiliation of relegated Cordoba.
The game swung massively in Madrid's favor in the space of two first-half minutes whilst Sevilla was down to 10 men as Grzegorz Krychowiak was off the field receiving treatment for a facial injury.
Ronaldo headed home expertly from Isco's cross and then prodded in from Javier Hernandez's flick-on moments later.
Sevilla was handed a route back into the game when Sergio Ramos upended Vidal inside the area in first-half stoppage time and Carlos Bacca converted from the penalty spot.
Ronaldo looked to have sealed the three points with a stunning header from Gareth Bale's cross midway through the second-half.
However, Vicente Iborra reduced the deficit once more from as he swept home Vidal's cross to set up a grandstand finish.
Ronaldo's 29th Madrid hat-trick took him onto 42 La Liga goals for the campaign, two ahead of Lionel Messi who netted twice as Barca condemned Cordoba to relegation in embarrassing fashion.
Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid failed to nail down third place and an automatic return to the Champions League next season as it was held 0-0 at home by Athletic Bilbao.
Lyon reclaims top spot
Lyon reclaimed top spot in Ligue 1 on Saturday with a convincing 2-0 victory over struggler Evian to put the pressure back on title rival Paris Saint-Germain.
Lyon has the same 71 points as PSG but lead on goal difference. On Friday, an Andre Pierre Gignac-inspired Marseille boosted its prospects of competing in next season's Champions League win a 2-0 win over relegation-bound Metz.
Elsewhere, European hopefuls Montpellier and Bordeaux was held to goalless draws by Brittany sides Rennes and Lorient respectively.
Reims lost 2-0 to Guingamp, who are now assured of staying in the top flight, while 13th-ranked Nice and 14th-placed Caen played a 1-1 draw.
Leverkusen beats Bayern
Bayer Leverkusen beat a second-string Bayern Munich 2-0 Saturday to move up to third in the Bundesliga and get back on course for an automatic Champions League spot with three matches left in the season.
Hakan Calhanoglu whipped in a fierce free kick in the 55th minute and Julian Brandt completed a quick break nine minutes from time to lift Leverkusen to 58 points, four behind second-placed VfL Wolfsburg and one ahead of Borussia Moenchengladbach.
It was the second disappointment in a week for injury-plagued Bayern after their German Cup exit to Borussia Dortmund, but it can be forgiven for fielding a weakened side with its focus on the Champions League semifinal in Barcelona this week. — Agencies


Clic here to read the story from its source.