Barca keeps nose ahead of hot Real
Source: Agencies |
March 1, 2010, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
BARCELONA restored its two-point lead at the top of La Liga when Lionel Messi finished a slick move to fire the champion to a hard-fought 2-1 home win over Malaga on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola's side was under pressure after Real Madrid's in-form striker Gonzalo Higuain had struck twice to lead it to a 5-1 win at Tenerife in the earlier kickoff.
Real's sixth straight victory briefly sent the Meringues a point clear at the top on 59 points from 24 matches before Barcelona replied by seeing off stubborn Malaga.
The Andalucians were pinned back from the start at the Nou Camp where Argentina forward Messi and Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic had early chances.
Ibrahimovic flashed a long-range freekick just wide in the 24th minute and Messi shot wastefully over the bar five minutes later.
Pedro Rodriguez finally broke the deadlock in the 68th minute with a superb long-range strike but Valdo stunned the home side with a breakaway equalizer in the 81st.
Malaga looked to have secured an unlikely point before Spain midfielder Xavi split its defense with a perfect pass for right back Daniel Alves and the Brazilian squared for Messi to tap in the 84th.
Second-from-bottom Tenerife started brightly but the hosts' resistance lasted until just before the half-hour mark when defender Marcelo played the ball into space and Higuain arrowed a low shot past goalkeeper Sergio Aragoneses.
Central defender Ezequiel Garay made a rare foray forward to set up Real's second in the 42nd, Higuain timing his run perfectly to sweep his compatriot's center into the net from the edge of the penalty area.
Higuain's double gave the Argentine 16 league goals this season, one short of top marksmen Messi and David Villa of Valencia.
Midfielder Ayoze pulled one back for Tenerife a minute after the break before Brazilian playmaker Kaka restored Real's two-goal advantage two minutes later. Cristiano Ronaldo netted a penalty, his 13th league goal of the season, with 10 minutes left and substitute Raul glanced in Real's fifth in added time.
Earlier, Humberto Suazo scored twice as 17th-place Zaragoza beat eighth-place Getafe 2-0.
Pep Guardiola's side was under pressure after Real Madrid's in-form striker Gonzalo Higuain had struck twice to lead it to a 5-1 win at Tenerife in the earlier kickoff.
Real's sixth straight victory briefly sent the Meringues a point clear at the top on 59 points from 24 matches before Barcelona replied by seeing off stubborn Malaga.
The Andalucians were pinned back from the start at the Nou Camp where Argentina forward Messi and Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic had early chances.
Ibrahimovic flashed a long-range freekick just wide in the 24th minute and Messi shot wastefully over the bar five minutes later.
Pedro Rodriguez finally broke the deadlock in the 68th minute with a superb long-range strike but Valdo stunned the home side with a breakaway equalizer in the 81st.
Malaga looked to have secured an unlikely point before Spain midfielder Xavi split its defense with a perfect pass for right back Daniel Alves and the Brazilian squared for Messi to tap in the 84th.
Second-from-bottom Tenerife started brightly but the hosts' resistance lasted until just before the half-hour mark when defender Marcelo played the ball into space and Higuain arrowed a low shot past goalkeeper Sergio Aragoneses.
Central defender Ezequiel Garay made a rare foray forward to set up Real's second in the 42nd, Higuain timing his run perfectly to sweep his compatriot's center into the net from the edge of the penalty area.
Higuain's double gave the Argentine 16 league goals this season, one short of top marksmen Messi and David Villa of Valencia.
Midfielder Ayoze pulled one back for Tenerife a minute after the break before Brazilian playmaker Kaka restored Real's two-goal advantage two minutes later. Cristiano Ronaldo netted a penalty, his 13th league goal of the season, with 10 minutes left and substitute Raul glanced in Real's fifth in added time.
Earlier, Humberto Suazo scored twice as 17th-place Zaragoza beat eighth-place Getafe 2-0.
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