LONDON (AP) ― Struggling Sunderland capitalized on the early sending-off of Brede Hangeland to beat Fulham 3-1 on Sunday, earning only its second win of the season and easing its worries at the bottom of the Premier League.

Steven Fletcher, Carlos Cuellar and Stephane Sessegnon all scored in the second half for the visitors while Fulham was down to 10 men, with Hangeland given a straight red card for a reckless 30th-minute tackle.

Substitute Mladen Petric equalized in the 62nd minute for the mid-table home side but it couldn’t hang on at Craven Cottage, with a bad day made worse by game-ending injuries to Sweden winger Alex Kacaniklic and Costa Rica playmaker Bryan Ruiz either side of halftime.

The victory lifted Sunderland three points clear of the bottom three, with Fletcher grabbing his sixth goal of the season.

Hangeland’s contentious dismissal was a game-changer but was probably justified as the Norway defender leapt in rashly ― and studs-first ― on midfielder Lee Cattermole, even though his feet were on the floor when contact was made.

Fulham, looking to climb to seventh with a win, had been on top by that point but the sending-off of its captain and defensive lynchpin gave Sunderland a perfect opportunity to end its five-match winless run.


Spain

BARCELONA (AP) ― Ten-man Atletico Madrid stayed in the chase for the Spanish league lead by beating Granada 1-0 thanks to Arda Turan’s second-half goal on Sunday.

With Atletico striker Radamel Falcao without a goal for the third straight game, Turan stepped up in the 61st minute to ensure the hard-earned win for Simeone Diego’s team that keeps it three points behind pacesetter Barcelona.

The Turkey midfielder volleyed in from substitute Jorge “Koke” Resurrecion’s cross after Diego Costa had started the move that succeeded in unlocking Granada’s defense.

Levante moved up to fourth spot and into the Champions League places after winning 2-0 at Deportivo La Coruna in an eventful match in which both teams finished with 10 men.

Italy

ROME (AP) ― Fiorentina thrust itself into the race for the Champions League places with a 4-1 win over Atalanta, while second-place Inter Milan needed a late own goal to tie 2-2 with visiting Cagliari in the Italian league.

Alberto Aquilani scored twice and set up another goal, and Gonzalo Rodriguez and Luca Toni also found the net as Fiorentina won its fifth straight match and extended its unbeaten streak yo seven.


Germany

BERLIN (AP) ― Kevin de Bruyne scored in the 82nd minute to lead Werder Bremen over visiting Fortuna Duesseldorf 2-1 in the Bundesliga, the hosts’ first game since manager Klaus Allofs quit after 13 years to join Wolfsburg.

Bremen defender Assani Lukimya had been ejected for a second yellow card five minutes before the tiebreaking goal. Nils Petersen’s 51st-minute equalizer.

Jens Langeneke put Duesseldorf ahead in the 10th minute after Sokratis Papastathopoulos brought down Robbie Kruse at the end of a counterattack.

Wolfsburg won 3-1 at Hoffenheim on goals by Makoto Hasebe, Bas Dost and Naldo.


France

PARIS (AP) ― Lyon beat Reims 3-0 to move into first place in the French league, taking advantage of Paris Saint-Germain’s latest home defeat and Marseille’s 1-0 loss at Bordeaux.

An own goal from Reims’ Anthony Weber gave Lyon the lead in the 45th minute, and Bafetimbi Gomis and Lisandro Lopez scored in the second half. Lyon is two points ahead of PSG, which lost 2-1 to Rennes on Saturday.

Yoan Gouffran scored in the 52nd minute for Bordeaux, which is one point behind Lyon in second. Marseille, which trails third-place PSG on goal difference, has not won at Bordeaux since 1977.


Germany

BERLIN (AP) ― Kevin de Bruyne scored in the 82nd minute to lead Werder Bremen over visiting Fortuna Duesseldorf 2-1 in the Bundesliga, the hosts’ first game since manager Klaus Allofs quit after 13 years to join Wolfsburg.

Bremen defender Assani Lukimya had been ejected for a second yellow card five minutes before the tiebreaking goal. Nils Petersen’s 51st-minute equalizer.

Jens Langeneke put Duesseldorf ahead in the 10th minute after Sokratis Papastathopoulos brought down Robbie Kruse at the end of a counterattack.

Wolfsburg won 3-1 at Hoffenheim on goals by Makoto Hasebe, Bas Dost and Naldo.