Sports

Atletico beats Betis to close in on Barca ahead of 'clasico'

Atletico beats Betis to close in on Barca ahead of 'clasico'

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann (right) celebrates with teammate Angel Correa (left) after scoring their team's second goal against Deportivo Coruna during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Deportivo Coruna at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid, Saturday, March 12, 2016. Griezmann and Correa scored once each in Atletico's 3-0 victory. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

BARCELONA: Antoine Griezmann scored two goals to help Atletico Madrid rout Real Betis 5-1, keeping the pressure on Spanish league leader Barcelona. Second-place Atletico's win Saturday reduced the gap with Barcelona to six points hours before the defending champions host third-place Real Madrid in a 'clasico' match at Camp Nou. Fernando Torres used one touch to chip a pass from Jorge 'Koke' Resurreccion over goalkeeper Antonio Adan for the 37th-minute opener. Griezmann got his first goal five minutes later when Adan let the French forward's apparently harmless pass bounce between his legs. Juanfran Torres added to the lead and Griezmann scored his 19th league goal of the season after Ruben Castro had pulled one back for Betis. Griezmann then set up Thomas Partey to tap in Atletico's fifth in stoppage time.