BARCELONA — Javier Hernandez scored twice as Real Madrid fought back for a thrilling 4-2 win at Celta Vigo Sunday to keep the pressure on Spanish league leader Barcelona. Four days after Hernandez's late goal put Madrid into the Champions League semifinals, the Mexico striker struck a brace to help an injury-depleted Madrid hold off Celta's vigorous challenge and stay two points behind Barcelona with five rounds left. Celta forward Manuel “Nolito” Agudo scored in the ninth minute to start a five-goal flurry in the first half. Goals from Toni Kroos and Hernandez put Madrid ahead, Celta's Santi Mina equalized for 2-2 and James Rodriguez restored Madrid's advantage in the 44th. With Celta pressing forward after the restart, Hernandez used a superb touch to control Sergio Ramos' pass before netting in the 69th to secure victory. Hernandez had struggled to find minutes this season since arriving on loan from Manchester United, but he has made the utmost of his last two starts since Karim Benzema went down with a leg injury. His 88th-minute goal Wednesday eliminated Atletico Madrid and put Madrid into the final four of Europe's top club competition. Also Sunday, Sevilla beat Rayo Vallecano 2-0 thanks to goals from Vicente Iborra and Daniel Carrico to provisionally move past Valencia into fourth place. Almeria moved out of the relegation zone by beating struggling Eibar 2-0, while Deportivo took its place in the bottom three after drawing 1-1 at Malaga. “When they play like that they leave open a lot of space, and when Madrid has space it is much more dangerous,” Rodriguez said. “I think we are the deserved winners. These three points put us in the position to fight until the end.” Lyon back on top In Paris, Alexandre Lacazette scored a league-leading 26th goal of the season as Lyon returned to the top of the French league on goal difference from Paris Saint-Germain after a 4-2 win at Reims Sunday. Lyon, which has played a game more than PSG, raced 2-0 ahead as midfielder Corentin Tolisso netted his seventh goal of the season when he headed in from a corner in the second minute, and Lacazette pounced four minutes later with a volley from Cameroonian winger Clinton N'jie's cross. Midfielder Alexi Peuget gave the home side hope when he pulled a goal back with a deflected strike in the 13th, but Lyon reasserted its authority when N'jie expertly turned in left back Henri Bedimo's cross to make it 3-1 after 20 minutes of a frantic opening spell. Defender Mickael Tacalfred's lobbed his own goalkeeper as he tried to intercept a pass to make in the 90th minute to put Lyon 4-1 up, before Gaetan Charbonnier netted an injury-time consolation goal from a corner. Earlier, Monaco eased to a 3-0 win at last-place Lens to remain third and Saint-Etienne kept the pressure on with a 1-0 win over Montpellier but Monaco is two points ahead of fourth-place Saint-Etienne with four games remaining in the chase for a Champions League spot. — Agencies
