MADRID: Atletico Madrid’s Rodrigo Riquelme and Alvaro Morata scored in the first half to earn a 2-1 home win over lowly Alaves in La Liga on Sunday and take their team up to third place.

Atleti, who have a game in hand on their title rivals, have 25 points, three behind leaders Real Madrid and second-placed Girona and a point above Barcelona in fourth.

Riquelme gave Atletico the lead in the 26th minute, scoring from close range following a cross by Morata, who doubled the lead in first-half stoppage time with an individual effort.

Alaves midfielder Ander Guevara pulled one back for the visitors deep into added time at the end of the game with a low shot inside the bottom left corner from the edge of the box.

Atletico have won their last 14 La Liga home games, equalling their best run which was achieved at their old Vicente Calderon stadium from May 2012 to February 2013.

Earlier Bebe’s fine late strike earned Rayo Vallecano a 2-2 draw against high-flying Real Sociedad.

The former Manchester United midfielder netted a vital stoppage-time goal for the second week running after his late penalty against Las Palmas last weekend.

Mikel Oyarzabal scored a brace for La Real, fifth, after Abdul Mumin opened the scoring for Rayo, but Bebe hammered home a low drive from long distance to share the spoils.

Rayo Vallecano are seventh, level on points with eighth-placed Betis, who beat Osasuna 2-1 earlier on thanks to Isco’s superb late goal.

The ex-Real Madrid playmaker set up Willian Jose for the opener and then after Ruben Garcia appeared to rescue the visitors a point, Isco flashed a strike home in stoppage time to delight the Benito Villamarin.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2023