Sevilla 2–1 Real Madrid

Ernesto Chevanton's second-half scissor-kick saw Sevilla overtake opponents Real Madrid in second place as it secured a 2-1 win to keep the pressure on leaders Barcelona in the Primera Liga.

Chevanton claimed the headlines with a well-executed finish after first-half strikes from recalled Real midfielder David Beckham and Sevilla striker Fredi Kanoute had cancelled each other out, but Capello will be unhappy with his side's inability to mount a comeback in the closing stages.

Beckham, a fringe player in Real's domestic campaign to date, kept his place in the side following an eye-catching performance in the Champions League draw against Dynamo Kyiv and made an immediate impact.

He opened the scoring in the 13th minute when he scored direct from a free kick for his second league goal of the year.

It was not one to add to the former England captain's impressive scrapbook, as he swung the ball in from the flank hoping to find a teammate in the Sevilla box. But nobody met the ball as it curled into the area and with home keeper Andres Palop standing off his line Beckham's cross nestled in the top corner.

But Real's joy did not last for long as Mali international Fredi Kanoute, who scored from the penalty spot in his side's 2-1 reverse against Espanyol last time out, found a swift equalizer.

Just four minutes separated Beckham's opener and Kanoute's equalizer but it was a deserved goal for a Sevilla side which had taken the game to the visitors with some sprightly early play.

Luis Fabiano claimed the assist, striking the ball fiercely from 20 yards and hitting the woodwork before the former West Ham and Tottenham striker converted the rebound, giving Iker Casillas no chance.

Roberto Carlos tried to put his side back in the lead almost immediately but he failed to trouble Palop with a pair of speculative efforts from outside the box.

Fellow Brazilian Ronaldo, also retained after a two-goal showing against Kiev, showed flashes of his old flair but hesitated with his best chance of the game, trying to round the keeper instead of taking an early shot.

Alvaro Mejia replaced Michel Salgado at the start of the second half as Capello shuffled his pack but Sevilla began to assert themselves as the game progressed.

Jesus Navas, fit to start after a late fitness test, threatened to put the hosts in front in the opening stages of the second period but his shot lacked accuracy and went harmlessly past Casillas' right-hand post.

Kanoute also went close as he continued to cause problems for Madrid but when he stole in behind Roberto Carlos, his volleyed effort flew high over the crossbar.

Madrid, who looked lightweight in midfield, could not hang on to a point and Chevanton was the man who finally grabbed the winner.

When a deep cross came into the Real box, he was played onside by a static Sergio Ramos who failed to pick up the Sevilla substitute. Chevanton leapt high into the air before stabbing the ball into the ground and past Casillas.

An injury to Enzo Maresca ensured plenty of injury time for a possible equalizer but Real was short of inspiration and allowed their rivals to replace them in second place. end

Ronaldinho's 11th league goal of the season saw Barcelona scrape a narrow 1-0 victory over struggling Real Sociedad at the Nou Camp and kept the Catalans top of the table after 14 rounds of the Primera Liga.

The Brazilian's excellent side-footed finish after an hour was enough to give the Spanish champions the three points in their last match before the squad heads off to Japan later this week for the FIFA Club World Championship.

Coach Frank Rijkaard made four changes from the side which beat Werder Bremen on Tuesday.

French defender Lilian Thuram came in for Mexican Rafael Marquez - rested for this match - and Brazilian fullbacks Juliano Belletti and Sylvinho replaced Gianluca Zambrotta and Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

In midfield, Xavi was preferred to Andres Iniesta, but Rijkaard kept faith with Ronaldinho, Ludovic Giuly and Eidur Gudjohnsen up front with Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto'o and Javier Saviola all still missing through injury.

Real Sociedad, meanwhile, started with Serbian striker Darko Kovacevic alone up front.

The visitors started brightly but Barcelona soon settled and had two goals disallowed for offside in an eventful first half.

In the 18th minute, Gudjohnsen saw his effort correctly ruled out after controlling neatly and firing past goalkeeper Claudio Bravo from the edge of the area.

Three minutes later, the Icelandic forward set up Ronaldinho on the left-hand side of the area, but Bravo dived low to push away the Brazilian's shot and although Xavi was on hand to poke the rebound into an empty net, the Spanish midfielder was adjudged to be fractionally off-side.

Barcelona seemed to be in total control, but Real Sociedad almost took the lead in the 27th minute when the Catalans failed to clear and the loose ball fell to the unmarked Mikel Aranburu 15 yards out.

The midfielder tried to place his shot, but fullback Belletti dived low to his left to clear with Victor Valdes beaten.

At the other end, Ronaldinho sent a stunning scissor-kick inches wide and Deco also went close with a header as Barcelona piled on the pressure.

But Real Sociedad held on until halftime, when the Nou Camp jeered the officials off the pitch for having disallowed their team two goals.

Barcelona took a while to get going after the break and Gari Uranga almost made the Catalans pay after 52 minutes, but could not direct his header past Valdes from close range.

Bravo had to be alert six minutes later to punch away Giuly's cross with Gudjohnsen waiting to pounce, but the goalkeeper could do nothing to prevent Ronaldinho from scoring in Barcelona's next attack.

Giuly spotted the Brazilian unmarked on the edge of the area and squared neatly to the brilliant number 10, who sweetly side-footed home from just inside the area with 61 minutes gone.

The Catalans then immediately came close to doubling their lead, but Xavi fired his shot straight at Bravo after being set up by Deco.

With 10 minutes left on the clock, Ronaldinho threaded a lovely ball through to Xavi, but the midfielder fired into the side netting.

Belletti then blasted over from 30 yards as Barcelona searched for an elusive second goal.

But the Basques were not out of it yet and Valdes had to be alert to block Kovacevic's effort on 82 minutes.

Sylvinho then departed the field after receiving two yellow cards in the space of two minutes.

The Brazilian was booked for time-wasting and then saw red for a seemingly innocuous foul in the centre circle.

Real Sociedad almost equalized in injury time, when Valdes acrobatically tipped over Mikel Gonzalez's brilliant header.

But Barcelona hung on and collected three more valuable points which keep them top of the table.