CASEMIRO scored in the 89th-minute to earn Real Madrid a 2-1 win at Las Palmas in the Spanish league Sunday, keeping his team on course for an automatic spot in next season’s Champions League.

    Casemiro headed the winner from a corner just two minutes after Las Palmas equalized with striker Willian Jose to ignite the local fans in the Canary Islands. Sergio Ramos had put Madrid ahead with another header in the 24th, before being sent off in injury time.

    Las Palmas played better most of the match and goalkeeper Keylor Navas had to make several key saves to keep Madrid in the game.

    “If we want anything from what’s coming up we have got to play better, that’s for sure,” Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said. “Like this, we’ll get nowhere.”

    It was Madrid’s third league win in a row, leaving it 10 points in front of fourth-place Villarreal.

    Defending champion Barcelona routed Getafe 6-0 at the Camp Nou on Saturday to maintain an eight-point lead over second-place Atletico Madrid. Madrid is 12 points off the lead and virtually out of contention for the title with nine rounds left, but it needed the win to stay ahead in the race to secure the final automatic spot for the Champions League.

    Madrid started well and moved ahead with Ramos’ firm header off a corner, but Las Palmas took over and created several chances until finally breaking through with Jose’s shot over Navas after a bad pass by Mateo Kovacic near the area. The hosts seemed satisfied with a draw, but defensive midfielder Casemiro was left unmarked near the far post to seal the victory.

    (SD-Agencies)