Atletico Madrid stayed in control of La Liga’s title race by beating struggling Huesca 2-0 at home yesterday with goals in each half by Angel Correa and Yannick Carrasco.
Correa scored for the third time in two games to give Atletico the lead shortly before halftime, the Argentine dancing through the Huesca defence and getting the help of a deflection to take his shot into the net.
Huesca had won two of their last three matches and stayed in the game, even having a couple of chances to level, until Marcos Llorente pounced on a loose ball and squared for Carrasco to knock it into the empty net 10 minutes from time.
Atletico top the standings on 73 points after 32 games, moving three clear of Real Madrid who beat Cadiz on Wednesday. Huesca are 18th on 27.
On Wednesday, a first-half double from Karim Benzema helped Real Madrid cruise to a 3-0 victory away to Cadiz.
The Frenchman’s brace came either side of a maiden senior league goal for defender Alvaro Odriozola, as Real moved onto 70 points.
“We started the game really well, robbing the ball high, that was the gameplan,” Madrid defender Marcelo said.
“We know there are no easy games in La Liga, it might have seemed like an easy win, but we were really good.
“Madrid never give up. We’ll fight (for the title) until the end in every game we have.”
The home side, who were looking to complete an unlikely league double over Madrid, started brightly, with Jens Jonsson firing narrowly wide, however that was as good as it got as Real’s class told.
Benzema netted his first from the penalty spot on the half hour following a VAR intervention, which spotted an Isaac Carcelen foul on Vinicius that referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz had missed.
The striker’s goal took him level with club great Raul Gonzalez as having scored against 35 different opponents in La Liga.
He turned provider three minutes later when he crossed for Odriozola.
Casemiro should have made it 3-0 moments later when he fired over from close range, however five minutes before the break he crossed for Benzema, who completed his double to seal the points for Zinedine Zidane’s side.


Atletico Madrid’s Angel Correa celebrates his goal during the match against Huesca in Madrid, Spain, yesterday. (Reuters)
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