MADRID: Karim Benzema ensured Real Madrid kept the pressure on the La Liga’s front-runners by scoring one goal and assisting on two more in a 5-1 win at bottom-side Getafe on Saturday.

Benzema scored his 22nd goal of the competition in the 29th minute and worked a one-two passing combination to help Francisco “Isco” Alarcon make it 2-0 in the 40th.

Gareth Bale ran free to score Real’s third after receiving Benzema’s pass five minutes after halftime.

Pablo Sarabia got Getafe’s consolation goal with six minutes left before James Rodriguez and Cristiano Ronaldo rounded off Real’s win.

Real, who earlier this week advanced to a Champions League semi-final against Manchester City, provisionally passed Atletico Madrid into second place with 75 points and moved to within one point of leaders Barcelona.

However, Atletico and Barca can reassert themselves in the title race when they host Granada and Valencia respectively on Sunday.

It took until just before the half hour mark for Real to make the breakthrough when Benzema swept home Rodriguez’s cross.

Their dominance was rewarded with a second goal before half-time when Isco stretched to convert Benzema’s pass past the onrushing Guaita.

Bale then raced onto Benzema’s ball over the top before coolly slotting into the far corner.

Getafe were rewarded for their endeavour in the final quarter when former Real academy prospect Sarabia curled into the top corner.

Real did have the final word though, as Rodriguez controlled Lucas Vazquez’s low cross before side-footing home his side’s fourth.And Ronaldo finally got his goal deep into stoppage time when Jese Rodriguez broke the offside trap before unselfishly squaring for the Portuguese.

Published in Dawn, April 17th, 2016