Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, right, celebrates one of his three goals with teammates on Sunday. (Andres Kudacki/Associated Press)

Ronaldo’s hat trick guides Real Madrid to win: La Liga

(PhatzRadio / CBC Sports) — Cristiano Ronaldo’s sixth hat trick of the season guided Real Madrid to a 4-2 victory over 10-man Levante on Sunday to extend the Spanish leader’s advantage over defending champion Barcelona to 10 points.

Gustavo Cabral gave Levante a surprising lead in the fifth minute at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, and Madrid struggled to respond until Vicente Iborra’s red card set up Ronaldo’s penalty before halftime.

Ronaldo headed home his second in the 50th before unleashing a shot from outside the area seven minutes later that took a wicked dip over goalkeeper Gustavo Munua and into goal.

Another defensive lapse from Madrid allowed Arouna Kone to head in Levante’s second in the 63rd, but Ronaldo fed Karim Benzema to curl in Madrid’s fourth minutes later.

After completing his hat trick, Ronaldo sprinted over to celebrate his league-leading 27th goal with coach Jose Mourinho, who was swarmed by players as Madrid took control of a championship that is now theirs to lose after Barcelona lost 3-2 at Osasuna on Saturday.

It was the 4,000th goal scored at the Bernabeu, as Madrid become the first team to net 75 times in 22 rounds.

“Things are going well for me but the team is what is important,” said Ronaldo, whose 13th career Spanish league hat trick saw him pass Ferenc Puskas to trail only Alfredo di Stefano’s total of 22 for the club.

Cabral’s early goal came when Sergio Ramos flicked Francisco Farinos’ free kick straight into the path of the Levante player at the far post to head home. The early deficit unsettled Madrid, which dominated possession and scoring chances but couldn’t break through despite multiple efforts from Gonzalo Higuain.

Iborra handled a looping ball as it came down inside the area for his second booking, which gave Madrid the break it needed as Ronaldo stepped up to score his 10th penalty of the season with a shot into the top corner.

Ronaldo then slipped between defenders to head Higuain’s low cross into the bottom corner to put Madrid ahead for good.

But the Portugal forward’s third goal was his most spectacular, as he sent a long shot sailing high over Munua before it suddenly dropped down under the crossbar for his 119th goal in 122 games with the Spanish giant, surpassing the 118 he scored in 292 appearances for Manchester United.

Kone met Oscar Serrano’s cross to pull one back for Levante, but Benzema sentenced the visitors three minutes later as the France striker curled an exquisite shot around Munua for his 11th league goal.

Earlier Sunday, third-place Valencia beat Sporting Gijon 4-0 for its first league win in nearly two months, while last-place Zaragoza got a much-needed boost by beating Espanyol 2-0 for its first win since October.

Also, Villarreal beat Granada 3-1, Rayo Vallecano won a Madrid derby against Getafe 2-0 and Malaga rallied to beat Mallorca 3-1.

Manchester City’s Joleon Lescott, second right, celebrates after scoring against Aston Villa during on Sunday. (Jon Super/Associated Press)

Man City edges Aston Villa: EPL

(PhatzRadio / CBC Sports) — Manchester City kept fierce rival Manchester United at arm’s length in the Premier League title race on Sunday, winning 1-0 at Aston Villa to maintain its two-point lead.

England centre back Joleon Lescott grabbed the winner in the 63rd minute, hooking in a shot from close range after Gareth Barry nodded down a deep corner from James Milner.

Regaining the title initiative after United beat Liverpool 2-1 at Old Trafford on Saturday, City has 13 matches to hold out if the club is to win the English league for the first time since 1968.

“We have been there [at the top] since August because we deserved it,” City manager Roberto Mancini said. “It was a difficult game. We knew this before the game but the guys played fantastic football.”

City could be given an unexpected boost in the title race following reports in the British media that Carlos Tevez is set to end his unauthorized stay in his native Argentina, where he has been since November.

Mancini gave little away regarding the potential return of his top scorer last season, saying: “Carlos knows the situation, we are here and it depends on him.”

In the day’s other match, Wolverhampton Wanderers dropped into the relegation zone by losing 5-1 at home to West Bromwich Albion.

Nigeria striker Peter Odemwingie scored a hat trick for the visitors, who climbed above Villa into 14th place — eight points clear of the bottom three.

City went into the game having won only once on its travels since November — against last-place Wigan on Jan. 16 — and it looked at one stage that it would be another of those away games where the leaders dominated possession without finding a cutting edge.

Winger Adam Johnson struck a left-foot shot from 20 yards (metres) against the post in the 27th minute and Argentina forward Sergio Aguero also went close in a first half City dominated.

Lescott then put City ahead but the visitors required a reaction save from goalkeeper Joe Hart to seal the victory.

The England goalkeeper kept out a close-range effort by international teammate Darren Bent, minutes after Villa defender Carlos Cuellar headed over when free at a corner.

The loss means Villa is winless at home since Nov. 5 and increased the pressure on manager Alex McLeish, who was the subject of a low-key planned protest before kickoff.

“The Villa fans stayed right behind us for the entire game and I thought we were very unlucky not to get anything,” McLeish said. “Our home record is pretty abysmal. I’m disappointed with that because I pride myself in my managerial career with home performances and the current one isn’t good enough.”

It was a disappointing way for Robbie Keane to finish his loan spell at Villa before the Ireland captain returns to MLS side Los Angeles Galaxy.

Wolves replaced Blackburn in the bottom three after its drubbing at the hands of central English rival West Brom at Molineux.

The teams were level at 1-1 with 26 minutes left before Odemwingie scored twice to complete his first Premier League hat trick, with Jonas Olsson and Keith Andrews also netting.

“The saddest part is that we capitulated, which I have never seen my team do — not really,” Wolves manager Mick McCarthy said. “That’s not us. I have never apologized for a performance but would do for that as I know what it means to everybody.”

Steven Fletcher’s 10th goal of the season, on the stroke of halftime, had cancelled out Odemwingie’s opener in the 34th.

“I hope we can change our home performances and then there’s nothing that can stop us finishing in the top 10,” Odemwingie said.

Popularity: 2% [?]