Real snatch late win over lowly Albacete

Real Madrid went top of the Primera Liga when they snatched a 2-1 home win over lowly Albacete on Sunday in an absorbing game that featured breathtaking first half goals from either side.

England captain David Beckham had put Real ahead on 38 minutes with a spectacular long-distance strike but his effort was upstaged just over a minute later when Albacete midfielder Libero Parri smashed home an unstoppable volley.

Albacete looked as though they were on course to gain a thoroughly deserved away point but their hard work went unrewarded when Zinedine Zidane popped up in the area seven minutes from time to head in from close range.

The result means Real are level on points at the top with Deportivo Coruna, who were held to a 0-0 draw against a dominant Real Betis at a rain-drenched Ruiz de Lopera on Saturday.

Third-placed Valencia, who are three points behind the leading duo but have a better goal difference, can displace Real if they win their later match at Murcia.

Earlier on Sunday, Valladolid brought an abrupt end to Atletico Madrid's six-match winning streak with a comprehensive 3-1 win on a treacherous rain-sodden pitch at Nuevo Zorrilla.

Champions League side Celta Vigo continued their poor run when they lost 2-0 at home to Athletic Bilbao, who claimed their first away win of the season thanks to goals from defenders Mari Lacruz and Andoni Iraola.

The Basque side leapfrogged a host of sides to move into fourth place in the table, a point ahead of Barcelona, who lost 2-1 at Villarreal on Saturday, and three behind Valencia.

Real Madrid coach Carlos Queiroz surprisingly left leading scorer Ronaldo and midfielder Ivan Helguera on the bench at the Bernabeu, preferring to give former youth team players Javier Portillo and Borja a run out against their modest opponents.

The defending champions made a sluggish start as Albacete, who returned to the top flight this season after a seven-year absence, pressured them in midfield and got control of the ball.

The game burst into life, though, seven minutes before the break when Beckham broke the deadlock with a spectacular shot to score his third goal of the season.

Receiving a short pass from Zidane, the England captain glanced up and let fly with a sweetly struck 22-metre shot that sailed over a helpless Carlos Roa and into the far corner.

The Bernabeu crowd was still cheering when Albacete hit back with an even better goal from Libero Parri.

Forward Carlos Aranda swept a cross to the far side of the area after racing clear down the right and Parri met it with a thunderbolt volley that fizzed past keeper Iker Casillas and into the net.

Queiroz brought Helguera on for the second half in an attempt to tighten up the midfield and 20 minutes later he finally decided to throw on Ronaldo.

The Brazilian had a hand in the win when he disrupted the Albacete defence with a neat exchange of passes that gave Solari room to cross for the unmarked Zidane to head the winner.