AP, Madrid :
Real Madrid restored order after two straight losses with a comfortable 3-0 win over Las Palmas in the Spanish league on Sunday.
Goals by Casemiro in the first half, and Marco Asensio and Isco in the second, secured Madrid victory at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, keeping it eight points behind leader Barcelona after 11 games.
Barcelona defeated Sevilla 2-1 Saturday to maintain a four-point lead over second-place Valencia, which routed Leganes 3-0 for its seventh straight league win.
Madrid was under pressure after losses at Girona in La Liga and at Tottenham in the Champions League. The team endured a wave of criticism this week, and a convincing home win was needed to ease tensions for the defending champions.
“This win is important to help the team regain its confidence,” Madrid defender Sergio Ramos said. “Little by little we are getting back on the right track.”
Madrid was in control from the start, and Casemiro opened the scoring with a header following a corner just before halftime.
Asensio added to the lead with a booming, long-range shot into the top corner early in the second half, and Isco sealed the victory from inside the area after a well-placed low cross by Cristiano Ronaldo toward the end of the match.
Asensio and Isco are Madrid’s leading scorers in the league with four goals each. Ronaldo remains with only one league goal, although his tally with the club in all competitions is eight. He also scored four goals with Portugal.
Las Palmas is second-to-last in the standings with six points.
“We were playing well but that second goal put an end to our hopes,” Las Palmas striker Vitolo said.
On Saturday, fourth-place Atletico Madrid won 1-0 at Deportivo La Coruna with an injury-time goal by midfielder Thomas Partey.
Girona followed its stunning win over Real Madrid with a 2-1 victory at Levante, moving further away from the relegation zone.It was the third straight league win for the Catalan club, which is playing in the first division for the first time this season.
