Real Madrid squanders big chance to jump into top spot
Source: Agencies |
January 5, 2010, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
REAL Madrid missed its chance to go top of the Spanish league on Sunday after being held to a 0-0 draw at Osasuna.
A win would have put Madrid level on points with Barcelona and ahead on goal difference after the Catalans drew 1-1 against Villarreal on Saturday.
Barcelona leads the standings with 40 points after the first round of games following the winter break. Real Madrid is next with 38, Valencia has 32.
"We wanted to win because it was a very important game but this is a very tough place to play," said Madrid's Marcelo. "Now we have to keep working and winning to catch up with Barcelona."
Also on Sunday, Mallorca moved up to fourth place and the Champions League spots by beating Athletic Bilbao 2-0 thanks to second-half goals from Julio Alvarez and Aritz Aduriz.
Alvarez's left-footed shot glanced off a defender and looped into the goal in the 49th minute. Aduriz scored his eighth of the season in the 66th when he lobbed goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz.
Mallorca's eighth home win out of eight gives it 30 points. Bilbao is eighth on 26 points.
Racing Santander and Almeria both climbed away from the relegation zone with wins.
Santander beat Tenerife 2-0 with goals from Gonzalo Colsa and Francisco Jimenez, lifting the team two places to 14th on 16 points.
Almeria beat bottom-placed Xerez 1-0 with an 89th minute winner from Jose Ortiz Bernal in Juan Manuel Lillo's first game in charge following the departure of Hugo Sanchez.
Another struggling team, Malaga, drew 2-2 with Sporting Gijon.
In other games, it was: Getafe 1, Valladolid 0; and Zaragoza 0, Deportivo La Coruna 0.
At Reyno de Navarra stadium, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain led the Madrid attack, supported by Rafael van der Vaart in a playmaking role as Kaka was sidelined with an injury.
The game opened at a frantic pace with both sides finding it hard to settle into their game. In the 17th minute, Sergio Ramos fed Ronaldo down the right, although the Portugal striker's return pass was too subtle for the defender, who was left standing.
Though Madrid had more possession, Osasuna's Carlos Aranda and Walter Pandiani unsettled Real going forward. Madrid was particularly vulnerable at set pieces.
Ronaldo was at the center of most of his team's attacks and he blasted a free kick from just outside the area over the bar in the 57th minute.
With time running out the game opened up and both sides started making chances. Higuain was through on goal after a defensive lapse by Osasuna although the striker shot high.
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