Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo struck three times in eight minutes in the first half and added two headers after the break on a festive, sun-drenched afternoon at the Bernabeu, helping fire Real to its biggest victory in almost half a century.JUAN MEDINA/Reuters
On a weekend of spectacular strikes in the Premier League, Sunderland forward Jermain Defoe entered his own contender for goal of the season to settle one of England's fiercest derby matches.
Defoe, who spent last season with the Toronto FC of Major League Soccer, met a ball that dropped over his shoulder with a first-time, left-footed volley that dipped into the top corner from 22 metres, clinching Sunderland's 1-0 win over northeast rival Newcastle.
The goal came in first-half stoppage time and reduced the former England international to tears as he walked off for halftime.
Sunderland moved three points clear of third-to-last Burnley, which occupies the final relegation spot after drawing 0-0 at home to Tottenham in Sunday's other game.
Fresh off his debut goal for England last week, 21-year-old striker Harry Kane – the league's joint-leading scorer – captained Spurs for the first time, but was subdued as the team's slim hopes of Champions League qualification took a hit.
Sixth-place Tottenham moved level on points with Liverpool and is provisionally seven points behind fourth-place Manchester City, whose game in hand is against Crystal Palace on Monday.
The Premier League was spoiled with wonder goals on Saturday, arguably the most eye-catching coming at Stamford Bridge where Stoke midfielder Charlie Adam scored with a shot from about 65 metres against Chelsea.
Then there was Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney's volley on the turn against Aston Villa and Bobby Zamora's chip with the outside of his foot in Queens Park Rangers' win over West Bromwich Albion.
Bafétimbi Gomis scored with an overhead kick for Swansea, too.
But for pure technique and importance, Defoe's may top the lot.
"Unbelievable feeling. Words can't describe how I felt," Defoe said. "But in a game like this, any goal is amazing, even a tap-in."
Sunderland maintained its dominance of the most important fixture in the club's schedule.
The team has now won five in a row against Newcastle and extended its unbeaten top-flight run against its rival to seven matches. Both of those are club records.
Sunderland ended an eight-game winless run in all competitions with a first victory under temporary manager Dick Advocaat, who replaced Gus Poyet last month with the team hurtling toward the bottom three.
Advocaat, a much-travelled Dutch coach who has three decades of managerial experience, is in charge until the end of the season and tasked with keeping the club in the lucrative Premier League.
"We have still three home games to go," Advocaat said.
"We have to win them as well."
In Sunderland's last home game, fans streamed out of the ground at halftime with the team behind 4-0 to Aston Villa in one of its most embarrassing performances of recent times. Three weeks later, they were singing the name of an emotional Defoe, who wiped tears away with his shirt as he headed toward the dressing rooms.
Ronaldo scores five
In Spanish action, Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo hit his quickest hat trick on the way to netting his first five-goal haul in a 9-1 drubbing of Granada on Sunday, but there was no change at the top of La Liga as leaders Barcelona edged a 1-0 win at Celta Vigo.
Ronaldo's five goals took his tally in La Liga this season to 36, four ahead of Barca forward Lionel Messi, who was unable to get on the scoresheet in Galicia, where Jérémy Mathieu headed home the winner in the 73rd minute.
Barca has 71 points with nine games left, with Real on 67.
Champions Atletico Madrid is third on 62 points after they won 2-0 at bottom side Cordoba on Saturday.
With report from Reuters