AP, Barcelona :
Gareth Bale scored his first goal in three months for Real Madrid before Cristiano Ronaldo added a penalty to secure a 2-0 win at Eibar on Sunday and end its two-game losing run in the Spanish league.
Bale headed in Luka Modric’s cross two minutes before halftime, and Ronaldo converted a spot kick in the 82nd after a penalty was awarded when substitute Lucas Vazquez went down after slight contact with Dani Garcia.
Madrid’s win at Ipurua Stadium came after the team was heavily criticized for a loss at Sevilla and last weekend’s 4-0 defeat to Barcelona.
Madrid remained in third place, six points behind leader Barcelona and two points behind Atletico Madrid after they both won on Saturday.
“We arrived here after going through some difficult moments, and we are all aware that we have to improve,” said Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas. “These are three important points that keep us in the title race.”
Ronaldo, who hadn’t escaped criticism from Madrid’s fans for the loss to Barcelona, spent most of the game lamenting missed chances before he got his ninth league goal of the season from the spot.
Until the Portugal forward put the result beyond doubt, the hosts had matched Madrid’s talent with effort and constantly appeared threatening.
Eibar, which was missing injured top scorer Borja “Baston” Gonzalez and suspended forward Sergio “Keko” Gontan, slipped two spots into eighth place after only its third loss in 13 rounds.
