Real Madrid extend their lead after Sociedad self-destruction
Real Madid gave themselves some breathing space at the top of the Spanish first division, thanks in part to the self-destruction of second-placed Real Sociedad, and extended their lead to three points after their win over Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday.
Real Madid gave themselves some breathing space at the top of the Spanish first division, thanks in part to the self-destruction of second-placed Real Sociedad, and extended their lead to three points after their win over Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday.
Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo got the goals in a game which Real coach Vicente Del Bosque had described as, "the true start to the championship."
After several missed chances by Real, a minute before half time the Brazilian World Cup winner sent the ball across the face of the goal and Zidane had no problems sending it into the back of the net.
Four minutes after the break, the roles were reversed with Zidane provising the service through two Deportivo defenders and finding Ronaldo on the edge of the box.
The World Player of the Year then blasted the ball past a helpless Francisco Molina in the Deportivo goal.
The European champions now have 57 points from 27 matches, with Real Sociedad three points in arrears after their 2-2 draw with Villarreal.
Deportivo are third with 51 points while Valencia were held to a 1-1 draw by Espanyol and are now a distant fourth with 47 points.
Sociedad threw away their chance of going back to the top of the Spanish league, albeit only for a few hours, earlier on Sunday when they conceded two goals in injury time after being 2-0 ahead.
Darko Kovacevic got both goals for Real Sociedad, to take his tally for the season to 15, before Villarreal staged their incrediable fightback.
Two minutes into injury time Victor Fernandez headed one back for Villarreal and a minute later Jorge Lopez's scrambled an equaliser with all 22 men in the Sociedad box.
"It's a tough psychological blow and I'm unhappy that, tomorrow morning, international duties will rob me of many players while I go through what happened with the team," said a grim-faced Real Sociedad coach Raynald Denoueix.
Valencia went behind when Espanyol's David Garcia put the Barcelona-based side ahead after eight minutes but Spanish international Ruben Baraja equalised on the hour for the reigning Spanish champions.
"It is a little disappointing because, during the second half, I thought we were going to win. However, I haven't yet given up on retaining our title as there are still plenty of games left," said Valencia coach Rafa Benitez.
Elsewhere, Egyptian striker Mido needed little time to settle in at Celta Vigo and took just 19 minutes to score in the Galicians' 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao.
Mido - real name Ahmed Hossam - only arrived in Vigo on Monday after the sport's governing body FIFA had sanctioned his ground-breaking loan from Ajax just three days before.
The move was approved despite being outside the winter transfer window because Mido will replace Celta's Sebastian Mendez, who is out for the rest of the season with a serious knee injury.
Senior sports lawyers have said the move could revolutionise the transfer market in similar fashion to the 1995 Bosman ruling, with players now becoming eligible to move at any time of the year.
Mido's goal also had the effect of helping thwarting Athletic's quest for their 1,000th victory in the top flight of Spanish soccer, despite going a head after eight minutes with a goal from Asier Del Horno.
The Basques are one of only three clubs to have been ever present in the Spanish first division since its formation in 1928, the others being Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Celta's winner came thanks to a stunning volley from second half substitute Benni McCarthy after 77 minutes.
"In the second half we were struggling down the wings and the game could easily have ended in a draw but I put on Benni as he has the ability to win a game," added Lotina, who has not always been so complimentary about the unsettled South African striker.
Barcelona fans held an anti-war protest at the Nou Camp prior to the Catalan club's 6-1 mauling of Racing Santander.
Some placards read "Barca for peace" and "stop the war" as the Catalan supporters made their feelings known about the conflict in Iraq.
On the pitch Dutch stars Patrick Kluivert and Marc Overmars both scored twice as Barca extended their streak to 13 games without defeat, including two friendies and four Champions League matches, since Radomir Antic took over at the helm last month.