MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo shrugged off the boos of his own supporters to fire Real Madrid to a 3-0 win over Real Sociedad on Sunday as Zinedine Zidane’s side took advantage of slip ups by Barcelona and Sevilla to open up a four-point lead at the top of La Liga.

Ronaldo teed up Mateo Kovacic for the opener in the 38th minute to cool tensions at the Bernabeu after supporters had grown impatient with an uninspired display and then secured victory with a strike of his own in the 51st.

Substitute Alvaro Morata then put the finishing touch to the win by adding the third in the 82nd minute.

Ronaldo had been one of the scapegoats for Real’s recent stuttering run which saw them win one of their last four games and exit the King’s Cup in midweek to Celta Vigo.

He was whistled after giving the ball away early in the game and responded by shouting back at the crowd although all was forgiven when he latched onto Kovacic’s through ball and coolly chipped it into the net.

“After a few difficult days we were back doing our thing. It was a good night because our rivals drew and lost. You’re always more motivated when your rivals slip up,” Zidane told reporters. “We had some difficult moments but at the same time we played well. It’s not easy to score three goals against Real Sociedad.”

With Barcelona only able to snatch a 1-1 draw at Real Betis with a late Luis Suarez equaliser after earlier having had a clear goal disallowed and 10-man Sevilla losing 3-1 at Espanyol, Real strengthened their position at the top of the table.

They have 46 points with Barca second on 42, ahead of third-placed Sevilla on goal difference. Zidane’s side also have a game in hand on both their title rivals.

Sevilla could have provisionally moved into first place had they won earlier at Espanyol, but they had to play nearly the entire game with a man down as Nicolas Pareja was sent off in the second minute after conceding a penalty.

Jose Antonio Reyes converted the penalty to put the hosts ahead, and Gerard Moreno and Marc Navarro added goals for Espanyol after Sevilla equalised through Stevan Jovetic.

“The red card that early changed the game completely,” Sevilla defender Sergio Escudero said.

The result snapped Sevilla’s five-game winning streak in the league.

It was Espanyol’s second consecutive victory, leaving the club from Barcelona in ninth place.

Seventh-placed Athletic halted a three-game winless streak with a come-from-behind victory over relegation-wary Sporting Gijon.

Veteran striker Aritz Aduriz scored the winner by converting a penalty kick in the 71st minute at San Mames Stadium.

Published in Dawn January 31st, 2017