Real beat Mallorca to finish year as leaders

Real Madrid recovered from a shaky start to win 3-1 away to Real Mallorca on Sunday and secure the league leadership in Spain going into the New Year.

Fernando Correa took advantage of a dreadful mistake from Francisco Pavon in the Real defence to put Mallorca ahead early on but Raul headed the visitors back level in the first minute of injury-time.

Ronaldo struck 10 minutes after the break with an eye-catching solo goal and Luis Figo wrapped up the win from the penalty spot after the Brazilian had been brought down in the box on another run towards goal.

Victory for Real gave them 39 points from 17 games and took them back two points ahead of Valencia, who had gone top overnight thanks to their 1-0 win over Sevilla on Saturday.

With the next round of league games scheduled for the weekend of January 3 and 4, Real will go into 2004 as Primera Liga leaders.

Deportivo Coruna stayed within striking distance of the top two with a 2-1 win at home to Espanyol that left them in third on 33 points.

Osasuna lost ground with a 1-0 defeat at home to Real Zaragoza but they at least remain fourth with 27 points, ahead of Villarreal and Atletico Madrid on goal difference.

Real Madrid had an exhausting extra-time victory over Leganes in the King's Cup on Thursday and they looked to be feeling the effects as Mallorca took an early lead.

Pavon, looking to make a straightforward clearance on the edge of the box, somehow miscontrolled the ball and Michel Salgado, in an attempt to tidy up, managed only to poke the ball straight to Correa to tuck a shot past Iker Casillas.

Samuel Eto'o missed two good chances to increase the Mallorca lead and Real punished them with their equaliser in first-half injury-time.

Eto'o lost possession with an over-elaborate backheel and Real broke swiftly upfield. Figo, taking the ball down the right wing, crossed for Raul to head past Leo Franco at his near post.

Mallorca started the second half strongly and Eto'o almost made it 2-1 when he struck a post from close range.

Real were hardly playing well but Ronaldo, bulldozing his way from deep, beat two players and cut a shot back past Franco for a trademark goal.

Real's third, courtesy of another Ronaldo run and a Figo penalty, signalled the end of the contest and enabled the reigning champions to stroke the ball around for the remainder of the game.