LONDON: Javier Hernandez scored twice as Real Madrid fought back for a thrilling 4-2 win at Celta Vigo to keep the pressure on La Liga leaders Barcelona while Olympique Lyon reclaimed top spot in Ligue 1 after beating Stade de Reims by the same score-line on Sunday night.

Four days after Hernandez’s late goal knocked Atletico Madrid out to put Real into the Champions League semi-finals, the Mexico striker ensured an injury-depleted Real held off Celta’s vigorous challenge and stay two points behind Barca (81) with five rounds of matches left.

“I wasn’t having a good time, and now I am enjoying this moment. I love being on the pitch,” Hernandez, only in the side due to an injury crisis, said. “I’m happy for the people close to me, those who told me that I had to have faith that my time would come.”

The Ligue 1 title race is also headed for a nail-biting finale with Alexandre Lacazette scoring a league-leading 26th goal of the season as Lyon refuse to let champions Paris St Germain run away with the title.

Lyon’s victory at Reims moved them to 68 points from 34 games, leading PSG on goal difference but having played a game more.

“We won’t give up. We are level with PSG,” said Lacazette, who became Lyon’s top scorer in a single season. “26 goals this season, 50 in total in Ligue 1, those are nice stats. I’m really proud but I don’t want to stop here. We have quality players and we want to play well and score.”

In a pulsating game at the Balaidos Stadium, Celta forward Nolito scored in the ninth minute to start a five-goal flurry in the first half. Toni Kroos slotted home the equaliser after 16 minutes and Hernandez finished clinically after 24 minutes to turn the game around.

Santi Mina brought Celta level, but James Rodriguez’s deflected effort put Real in front once more before half-time and Hernandez rounded off the scoring in style 22 minutes from time, using a superb touch to control Sergio Ramos’ pass before beating keeper Sergio Alvarez.

Earlier, Europa League holders Sevilla maintained their push for a return to the Champions League with a comfortable 2-0 win over Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.

Fresh from securing a Europa League semi-final place last Thursday, goals from Vicente Iborra and Daniel Carrico helped them move into fourth place on 66 points, provisionally one ahead of Valencia who have a game in hand.

Lyon raced 2-0 ahead a rain-soaked Stade Auguste-Delaune as midfielder Corentin Tolisso netted his seventh goal of the season when he headed in from a corner in the second minute, and Lacazette pounced four minutes later with a volley from Cameroonian winger Clinton N’jie’s cross.

Reims reduced the arrears in the 13th through Alexi Peuget’s deflected strike but N’jie made it 3-1 after 20 minutes. Mickael Talcafred scored an own goal to gift Lyon a fourth in the 90th just before Gaetan Charbonnier netted Reims’ second by heading home from a corner in stoppage time.

Monaco, who were eliminated from the Champions League at the quarter-final stage by Juventus on Wednesday, moved a step closer to a return to Europe’s premier club competition with a comfortable 3-0 win at bottom club RC Lens.

Yannick Carrasco, Anthony Martial, with his eighth of the season, and Bernardo Silva got the goals for the Principality club as they consolidated third place, six points off the pace.

Sunday’s late action in Serie A, meanwhile, saw Napoli revive their Champions League hopes after coming back from a goal down at home to beat Sampdoria 4-2, helped by two goals from Arge­n­tine forward Gonzalo Higuain.

The Europa League semi-finalists moved to 56 points, within two of AS Roma, who are third in the Champions League qualifying round spot.

After an own goal from Raul Albiol, Napoli struck back with two goals from Higuain and one each from Manolo Gabbiadini and Lorenzo Insigne. Luis Muriel pulled one back for Samp in the 89th.

Firentina, who like Napoli and Sevilla reached the Europa League semis on Thursday, remain sixth after their third straight loss — a 3-1 home defeat to Cagliari for whom Duje Cop scored twice.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2015

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