Vintage Torres downs lowly Las Palmas

Madrid (AFP) – Fernando Torres scored a rare la Liga goal as Atletico Madrid made light of Diego Costa’s absence and consolidated second place in la Liga thanks to a comfortable 3-0 win over lowly Las Palmas on Sunday.

Torres, who has featured mostly as a substitute this season and before this weekend had just one league strike to his name, finished a lightning 73rd-minute counter-attack with a vintage shot into the roof of the net to double his side’s lead and move them up to 46 points, six ahead of third-place Valencia after their 4-1 hammering by Real Madrid on Saturday.

A dinked 61st-minute opener from Antoine Griezmann, who also hit the post twice, and an easy tap-in from Thomas Partey two minutes from time wrapped up the win against a desperate Las Palmas, who remain second from bottom and five points from safety.

Diego Simeone’s team also closed the gap between themselves and Barcelona to eight points ahead of the runaway league leaders’ home clash later with Alaves, who are hovering one place above the relegation zone.

Later on Sunday Vincenzo Montella will be looking to take Sevilla to within three points of Real Madrid when they host mid-table Getafe.