LONDON: Frank Lampard scored his 200th Chelsea goal in a 2-0 win against former club West Ham yesterday that lifted his team to third in the Premier League.
Lampard, who switched to west London from east 12 years ago, rose to meet Eden Hazard’s dinked ball and head past goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen in the 19th minute.
The 34-year-old midfielder, who has not been offered a new contract for next season, is just two goals behind Bobby Tambling’s Chelsea record of 202.
Chelsea went further ahead five minutes into the second half when Hazard completed a neat interplay with Juan Mata.
With Tottenham losing 1-0 to Fulham, Chelsea moved a point ahead of the north London club into the third Champions League qualification place.
Wayne Rooney sent Manchester United 15 points clear at the on Saturday night by scoring in a 1-0 victory over Reading.
Cavani ends barren run
In Milan, Serie A top scorer Edinson Cavani ended an eight-match goalless run by scoring twice to give Napoli a 3-2 win over Atalanta and keep them second in Serie A on Sunday.
Mario Balotelli also scored twice to give third-placed AC Milan a 2-0 win over joint bottom club Palermo where Giuseppe Sannino started his second stint of the season as coach of the volatile Sicilian club.
Pescara stayed level at the bottom with Palermo after losing 2-0 at home to Chievo while Siena missed a chance to move out of the relegation zone when they were held 0-0 at home by Cagliari.
Fourth-placed Fiorentina twice surrendered the lead at home to Genoa before a Mattia Cassani own goal gave them a 3-2 win.
Cavani has scored 20 Serie A goals this season while Balotelli has scored seven in six appearances for Milan since his move from Manchester City. Napoli, who have 56 points, are nine behind leaders Juventus and two ahead of Milan.
Real fights back
In Madrid, Real Madrid woke from their slumbers with a three-goal blast at the start of the second half as they came back to beat lowly Real Mallorca 5-2 in La Liga on Saturday night.
Third from bottom Mallorca twice went in front with headers against a seemingly distracted Madrid at the Bernabeu before the hosts rallied.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric and Gonzalo Higuain, with his second of the game, netted in a six-minute spell and substitute Karim Benzema notched a fifth goal at the end to leave coach Jose Mourinho’s side in second place with 61 points and 10 games left.
Yesterday, Malaga’s joy at qualifying for the Champions League quarterfinals for the first time was cut short when Espanyol condemned them to a 2-0 home defeat.
French winger Antoine Griezmann scored twice, the second with a spectacular volley, as Real Sociedad battered visiting Real Valladolid 4-1 to go fourth with 47 points.
Sociedad are 10 points behind third-placed Atletico Madrid, who visit Osasuna on Sunday, and two ahead of Valencia who climbed to fifth with a 3-0 win over 10-man Real Betis.
Getafe are eighth with 42 points, behind seventh-placed Betis, after Borja scored the only goal in a 1-0 home win over Athletic Bilbao.
