MX23RW : Tuesday, November 5 23:19:13| >> :120:3779:3779:
[monks data]
Celta Vigo logo
La Liga
Apr 26, 2015 at 8pm UK
 
Real Madrid logo

2-4

Nolito (9'), Mina (28')
FT(HT: 2-3)
Kroos (16'), Hernandez (24', 69'), Rodriguez (43')

Javier Hernandez at the double as Real Madrid survive Celta Vigo scare

Real Madrid survive a stern test of their La Liga title credentials by beating Celta Vigo 4-2 in a madcap encounter that spawned five goals in the first period.

Javier Hernandez scored twice as Real Madrid survived a rigorous examination of their title credentials by beating Celta Vigo 4-2 to keep the pressure on La Liga leaders Barcelona.

Real Madrid's German midfielder Toni Kroos celebrates after scoring a goal during the Spanish league football match Celta Vigo vs Real Madrid CF at the Balaidos stadium in Vigo on April 26, 2015© Getty Images

Hernandez, who fired Real into the semi-finals of the Champions League this week, replicated those heroics on the domestic stage to help clinch a win that saw them move back to within two points of Barca.

Carlo Ancelotti's side came into the contest knowing that victory was essential in order to keep the pressure on the Catalans, who moved five points clear at the summit yesterday.

However, Nolito opened the scoring on 10 minutes with a goal that would have been celebrated just as passionately some 1000km away in Catalunya.

The Celta hitman broke into double figures for the season when he danced in between a couple of defenders before firing past the unsighted Iker Casillas to give Celta a shock lead.

It was the wake-up call that Los Blancos needed as Real flipped the game on its head within 14 minutes of the opener. First, Toni Kroos levelled up with a neat finish following good work from Cristiano Ronaldo.

Then, Hernandez - on loan from Manchester United - netted his second in the space of four days, combining well with James Rodriguez before finding the net from an acute angle.

In an end-to-end encounter, the pendulum then swung in Celta's favour once more, as Santi Mina tapped into an empty net after his initial effort came back off the post.

Nevertheless, James was on hand to fire Madrid ahead once more in the dying stages of a thrilling first half, after Ronaldo had struck the post minutes earlier.

Hugo Mallo went close for the hosts early in the second half but the tempo inevitably decreased, with both sides failing to scale the heights evident in the first period.

The Mexican perhaps should have picked up his brace on 62 minutes by firing over the bar, but he made amends nine minutes later, latching on to Sergio Ramos's ball to finish past Sergio Alvarez.

Despite establishing a cushion for the first time, Madrid did not need one as Ancelotti's charges held on to their two-goal lead and kept pace with Barcelona in the final stretch of the season.

ID:219501: cacheID:219501:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5199:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Real Madrid's German midfielder Toni Kroos celebrates after scoring a goal during the Spanish league football match Celta Vigo vs Real Madrid CF at the Balaidos stadium in Vigo on April 26, 2015
Read Next:
Half-Time Report: James fires Real ahead in see-saw Celta clash
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona12110140112933
2Real Madrid1173121111024
3Atletico MadridAtletico126511871123
4Villarreal116322019121
5Osasuna126331716121
6Athletic Bilbao125431812619
7Real BetisBetis125431210219
8Mallorca12534109118
9Rayo Vallecano114431210216
10Celta Vigo125161820-216
11Real Sociedad124351010015
12GironaGirona124351517-215
13Sevilla124351217-515
14AlavesAlaves124171419-513
15Leganes122551216-411
16Getafe12174810-210
17Espanyol123181122-1110
18Las PalmasLas Palmas122371321-89
19Real ValladolidValladolid12228924-158
20Valencia11146817-97


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!