Javier Hernandez struck twice as Real Madrid kept the pressure on Barcelona at the top of La Liga by reducing the Catalan club's lead to two points with a enthralling 4-2 win at Celta Vigo on Sunday.
Nolito fired the hosts into an early lead before goals from Toni Kroos and Hernandez turned the game around.
Santi Mina brought Celta level, but James Rodriguez’s deflected effort put Madrid in front once more before the break and Hernandez rounded off the scoring in style 22 minutes from time.
“It was the kind of game we like,” said Real manager Carlo Ancelotti.
“To play on the front foot and take risks as did Celta. That made for a spectacular and very open game.
“Hernandez is enjoying his moment and helping the team a lot. The whole team worked very hard. We struggled in many moments during the game, but up front we were very efficient.”
Hernandez had starred with the only goal of the tie as Real beat Atletico Madrid for the first time in eight meetings this season to reach the Champions League semi-finals in midweek.
However, they were pushed onto the back foot straight away by a Celta side that had already claimed the scalps of Barcelona and Atletico in La Liga this season.
Nolito opened the scoring after just nine minutes as he eased past the weak challenges of Dani Carvajal and Asier Illarramendi before leaving Iker Casillas flat-footed with a low shot that rolled in at the near post.
Celta’s lead lasted only seven minutes as Cristiano Ronaldo’s dangerous cross from the right was cleared only as far as Kroos at the edge of the area and the German curled home just his second goal for Madrid.
The visitors then went in front as Hernandez’s scoring streak continued with a fine low finish after a neat one-two with Rodriguez.
Yet, again the lead was short-lived when Fabio Orellana’s through ball split the Madrid defence wide open and Mina slotted into an empty net at the second attempt after his initial effort came back off the post.
Celta’s offensive approach was allowing Madrid plenty of space to counter-attack and Ronaldo nearly took advantage of another lightning break when he struck the post from Hernandez’s pass.
However, Ancelotti’s men only had seconds to wait for the third goal to arrive and there was a touch of fortune about it as Rodriguez’s shot was deflected past the helpless Sergio Alvarez.
Celta began the second period with the same intensity as they had the first and the home fans were screaming for a penalty when Orellana tumbled inside the area under pressure from Kroos, but the referee was unmoved.
Hernandez then sealed the three points in skillful fashion as he controlled Sergio Ramos’s brilliant ball over the top before slamming past Alvarez for his fourth goal in as many games.
Earlier, Europa League holders Sevilla maintained their push for a return to the Champions League with a comfortable 2-0 win over Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.
Unai Emery’s men had edged out Zenit St Petersburg in a gruelling 90 minutes to make it back to the semi-finals of the Europa League with a 2-2 draw in Russia on Thursday.
However, they showed little sign of fatigue in a commanding first 45 minutes and made the game safe before the break thanks to goals from Vicente Iborra and Daniel Carrico.
Victory moves the Andalusian club a point above Valencia in the fight for a top four finish, although Nuno Espirito Santo’s men can move back into the final Champions League place should they avoid defeat at home to Granada on Monday.
At the other end of the table, Almeria gave their hopes of survival a huge boost with a 2-0 win over fellow strugglers Eibar thanks to goals from Thievy Bifouma and Verza.
That result elevated Almeria out of the relegation zone at Deportivo la Coruna’s expense after they had earlier claimed a point in a 1-1 draw away to Malaga.
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Healthy tips to remember
Here, Dr Mohamed El Abiary, paediatric consultant at Al Zahra Hospital Dubai, shares some advice for parents whose children are fasting during the holy month of Ramadan:
Gradual fasting and golden points - For children under the age of 10, follow a step-by-step approach to fasting and don't push them beyond their limits. Start with a few hours fasting a day and increase it to a half fast and full fast when the child is ready. Every individual's ability varies as per the age and personal readiness. You could introduce a points system that awards the child and offers them encouragement when they make progress with the amount of hours they fast
Why fast? - Explain to your child why they are fasting. By shedding light on the importance of abstaining from food and drink, children may feel more encouraged to give it there all during the observance period. It is also a good opportunity to teach children about controlling urges, doing good for others and instilling healthy food habits
Sleep and suhoor - A child needs adequate sleep every night - at least eight hours. Make sure to set a routine early bedtime so he/she has sufficient time to wake up for suhoor, which is an essential meal at the beginning of the day
Good diet - Nutritious food is crucial to ensuring a healthy Ramadan for children. They must refrain from eating too much junk food as well as canned goods and snacks and drinks high in sugar. Foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and proteins, like fruits, fresh meats and vegetables, make for a good balanced diet
Fight card
Preliminaries:
Nouredine Samir (UAE) v Sheroz Kholmirzav (UZB); Lucas Porst (SWE) v Ellis Barboza (GBR); Mouhmad Amine Alharar (MAR) v Mohammed Mardi (UAE); Ibrahim Bilal (UAE) v Spyro Besiri (GRE); Aslamjan Ortikov (UZB) v Joshua Ridgwell (GBR)
Main card:
Carlos Prates (BRA) v Dmitry Valent (BLR); Bobirjon Tagiev (UZB) v Valentin Thibaut (FRA); Arthur Meyer (FRA) v Hicham Moujtahid (BEL); Ines Es Salehy (BEL) v Myriame Djedidi (FRA); Craig Coakley (IRE) v Deniz Demirkapu (TUR); Artem Avanesov (ARM) v Badreddine Attif (MAR); Abdulvosid Buranov (RUS) v Akram Hamidi (FRA)
Title card:
Intercontinental Lightweight: Ilyass Habibali (UAE) v Angel Marquez (ESP)
Intercontinental Middleweight: Amine El Moatassime (UAE) v Francesco Iadanza (ITA)
Asian Featherweight: Zakaria El Jamari (UAE) v Phillip Delarmino (PHI)
Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.
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Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
