Real stays on Barca's heels
Source: Agencies |
October 4, 2011, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
AN early goal by Adriano Correia proved enough for Barcelona to win 1-0 at Sporting Gijon on Sunday and return to the top of the Spanish La Liga standings.
Real Madrid kept pace at the top as Gonzalo Higuain netted a hat-trick in a 4-0 win at Espanyol to stay a point behind Barcelona and surprise package Levante, which continued its fine start to the season with a 1-0 win at Real Betis.
Barcelona has 14 points, ahead of Levante on goal difference. Malaga and Valencia are level with Real on 13 points.
Also on Sunday, Sevilla drew 0-0 at Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao won 2-1 at Real Sociedad for its first league victory of the season.
Adriano fired the winner in the 12th minute for Barcelona after Xavi's shot hit the post. Barcelona had few problems securing the win against the league's bottom club despite a lackluster second-half performance.
"There weren't any spaces because they kept it very tight," said Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola. "We had a good first half an hour. After, we weren't brilliant because of Sporting's good play."
Eric Abidal limped off with an apparent thigh injury and was replaced by Maxwell in the 56th to add to Barcelona's injury woes.
Real's lightning-quick counterattacks sank Espanyol in Barcelona with Cristiano Ronaldo laying on the first for Higuain after 17 minutes.
The Argentine, starting in place of the injured Karim Benzema, lashed his second into the far top corner in the 66th and former Espanyol midfielder Jose Callejon sealed the win from Ronaldo's layoff in the 82nd before Higuain grabbed a late fourth.
Real Madrid kept pace at the top as Gonzalo Higuain netted a hat-trick in a 4-0 win at Espanyol to stay a point behind Barcelona and surprise package Levante, which continued its fine start to the season with a 1-0 win at Real Betis.
Barcelona has 14 points, ahead of Levante on goal difference. Malaga and Valencia are level with Real on 13 points.
Also on Sunday, Sevilla drew 0-0 at Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao won 2-1 at Real Sociedad for its first league victory of the season.
Adriano fired the winner in the 12th minute for Barcelona after Xavi's shot hit the post. Barcelona had few problems securing the win against the league's bottom club despite a lackluster second-half performance.
"There weren't any spaces because they kept it very tight," said Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola. "We had a good first half an hour. After, we weren't brilliant because of Sporting's good play."
Eric Abidal limped off with an apparent thigh injury and was replaced by Maxwell in the 56th to add to Barcelona's injury woes.
Real's lightning-quick counterattacks sank Espanyol in Barcelona with Cristiano Ronaldo laying on the first for Higuain after 17 minutes.
The Argentine, starting in place of the injured Karim Benzema, lashed his second into the far top corner in the 66th and former Espanyol midfielder Jose Callejon sealed the win from Ronaldo's layoff in the 82nd before Higuain grabbed a late fourth.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
