Sports

Real Madrid cruise to 2-0 win over Getafe

Madrid, Feb 9 (efe-epa).- Real Madrid prevailed 2-0 here Tuesday against a listless Getafe side to reduce the distance to LaLiga leaders Atletico Madrid.

A second straight victory boosted the defending champions to 46 points, 5 fewer than their cross-town rivals, who have two games in hand.

Injuries to the likes of captain Sergio Ramos and Eden Hazard have taken a toll on Real Madrid and coach Zinedine Zidane had only 11 first-team players available for Tuesday’s match.

Even so, the hosts dominated from the start and would have won by a bigger margin if not for a lack of precision in the first half.

The Blancos had 69 percent possession and outshot the visitors 14-1. Getafe, the lowest-scoring team in LaLiga, never troubled Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

All but one of the home side’s opportunities in the first half came on set pieces.

Casemiro inexplicably fired over the Getafe goal when the rebound from a free kick landed at his feet in the fifth minute, while Karim Benzema’s header off a corner in the 13th hit the cross-bar.

Raphael Varane sent his shot wide on the follow-up to a corner in the 32nd minute, five minutes before Luka Modric forced a stop from Getafe goalkeeper David Soria.

Real Madrid took the lead at the hour mark with a goal by Benzema, who headed-in a Vinicius cross, and Ferland Mendy made it 2-0 in the 66th minute with an assist from Marcelo.

Getafe, who have lost 23 of their 30 matches against the Blancos in LaLiga, are 13th in the table with 24 points. EFE rmm/dr

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