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Spanish title race goes to final weekend
Source: Agencies |
May 9, 2010, Sunday
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BARCELONA and Real Madrid secured thrilling wins in a dramatic day of league action yesterday to make sure the Spanish title race will be decided on the final weekend of the season.
Barcelona nearly threw away a three-goal lead before beating Sevilla 3-2 with goals from Leo Messi, Bojan Krkic and Pedro Rodriguez.
Madrid had a devastating second half to beat 10-man Athletic Bilbao 5-1, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Ramos, Karim Benzema and Marcelo all scoring.
Barcelona goes into the final weekend on a record 96 points, one more than Madrid.
"We have a bitter taste. The team suffered when it heard Barcelona was scoring goals and it took us a while to get into the game, but the second half was very good," Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini said.
"Barcelona can celebrate all it wants, but there is still one round left and though it's difficult, anything can happen."
With the title race going to the wire, European places still up for grabs and the relegation battle still alive, all the weekend's 10 league games were played simultaneously.
Madrid looked on course to keep in touch with the league leader when Ronaldo converted a penalty in the 22nd minute after defender Fernando Amorebieta was harshly sent off for handling the ball in the area.
However, Francisco Yeste equalized in the 40th with a superb individual effort which saw him dribble past three Madrid players before shooting past Iker Casillas from the edge of the area.
Not until the 73rd was the deadlock broken when Higuain headed in from close range to make sure of the win for Madrid. Ramos then burst through the Bilbao defense to shoot past Gorka Iraizoz in the 79th before substitute Karim Benzema scored Madrid's fourth two minutes later and Marcelo added the fifth just before the whistle.
Madrid dominated possession at its Santiago Bernabeu Stadium and threatened several times early on.
Ronaldo timed his run perfectly to meet Xabi Alonso's cross from the right in the ninth although his diving header went high.
However, Bilbao nearly caught the Madrid defense by surprise when Gaizka Toquero was through on goal before Ramos stole the ball.
The lively Ronaldo came close again with a stinging free kick in the 32nd that Iraizoz just managed to hold. The Bilbao goalkeeper did well again moments later when he blocked a fierce strike from Higuain.
At halftime, coach Pellegrini sought to boost his attacking options by replacing Fernando Gago in midfield with Kaka.
The Brazil playmaker had a chance almost immediately, heading Ronaldo's pinpoint cross wide of the righthand post.
However, with Bilbao flagging, Madrid started to find the net.
In Sevilla's Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, Messi controlled Maxwell's looped pass into the area with his chest, turned and shot past goalkeeper Andres Palop with his left foot in the fifth.
Krkic extended the lead in the 28th, running on to Xavi Hernandez's pass over the defense and scrambling the ball into the net.
In the 61st, Rodriguez sent a long drive into the bottom lefthand corner of the net.
Frederic Kanoute cut the deficit in the 68th following a counterattack by Sevilla, before Luis Fabiano scored again for the hosts two minutes later after Sevilla surprised Barcelona with a quick move.
Barcelona dominated from the whistle and in the fourth, Messi created some space on the edge of the area and fed the ball to Daniel Alves, who shot straight at Palop.
Messi's early goal further settled Barca's nerves and the Catalan side quickly found its short-passing game.
Alves and Messi nearly combined to effect again in the 38th when the latter volleyed a cross from the defender just over from close range.
With Sevilla battling with Mallorca for the fourth Champions League spot for next season, there was plenty to play for. Early in the second half Abdoulay Konko was sent off for a second yellow card after pulling on Krkic's shirt.
"After Sevilla's second goal, they could have scored another at any moment, but (we) did well throughout," said the Catalan team's goalkeeper Victor Valdes.
Sevilla is fourth on 60 points and Mallorca fifth on 59 after losing 1-0 to Deportivo La Coruna, ensuring the fight for fourth spot will also run to the final weekend.
Villarreal kept alive its hopes of climbing into the Europa League berths for next season by beating Valencia 2-0. Giuseppe Rossi and Joseba Llorente scored for the host in the first half.
Valencia, on 68 points, had little to play for having already secured third place.
At the bottom of the table, all the teams fighting for survival still hold hope following Saturday's results.
In other games it was: Getafe 2, Malaga 1; Sporting Gijon 1, Atletico Madrid 1; Valladolid 2, Racing Santander 1; Tenerife 2, Almeria 2; Xerez 3, Zaragoza 2; and Espanyol 2, Osasuna 1.
Barcelona nearly threw away a three-goal lead before beating Sevilla 3-2 with goals from Leo Messi, Bojan Krkic and Pedro Rodriguez.
Madrid had a devastating second half to beat 10-man Athletic Bilbao 5-1, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Ramos, Karim Benzema and Marcelo all scoring.
Barcelona goes into the final weekend on a record 96 points, one more than Madrid.
"We have a bitter taste. The team suffered when it heard Barcelona was scoring goals and it took us a while to get into the game, but the second half was very good," Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini said.
"Barcelona can celebrate all it wants, but there is still one round left and though it's difficult, anything can happen."
With the title race going to the wire, European places still up for grabs and the relegation battle still alive, all the weekend's 10 league games were played simultaneously.
Madrid looked on course to keep in touch with the league leader when Ronaldo converted a penalty in the 22nd minute after defender Fernando Amorebieta was harshly sent off for handling the ball in the area.
However, Francisco Yeste equalized in the 40th with a superb individual effort which saw him dribble past three Madrid players before shooting past Iker Casillas from the edge of the area.
Not until the 73rd was the deadlock broken when Higuain headed in from close range to make sure of the win for Madrid. Ramos then burst through the Bilbao defense to shoot past Gorka Iraizoz in the 79th before substitute Karim Benzema scored Madrid's fourth two minutes later and Marcelo added the fifth just before the whistle.
Madrid dominated possession at its Santiago Bernabeu Stadium and threatened several times early on.
Ronaldo timed his run perfectly to meet Xabi Alonso's cross from the right in the ninth although his diving header went high.
However, Bilbao nearly caught the Madrid defense by surprise when Gaizka Toquero was through on goal before Ramos stole the ball.
The lively Ronaldo came close again with a stinging free kick in the 32nd that Iraizoz just managed to hold. The Bilbao goalkeeper did well again moments later when he blocked a fierce strike from Higuain.
At halftime, coach Pellegrini sought to boost his attacking options by replacing Fernando Gago in midfield with Kaka.
The Brazil playmaker had a chance almost immediately, heading Ronaldo's pinpoint cross wide of the righthand post.
However, with Bilbao flagging, Madrid started to find the net.
In Sevilla's Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, Messi controlled Maxwell's looped pass into the area with his chest, turned and shot past goalkeeper Andres Palop with his left foot in the fifth.
Krkic extended the lead in the 28th, running on to Xavi Hernandez's pass over the defense and scrambling the ball into the net.
In the 61st, Rodriguez sent a long drive into the bottom lefthand corner of the net.
Frederic Kanoute cut the deficit in the 68th following a counterattack by Sevilla, before Luis Fabiano scored again for the hosts two minutes later after Sevilla surprised Barcelona with a quick move.
Barcelona dominated from the whistle and in the fourth, Messi created some space on the edge of the area and fed the ball to Daniel Alves, who shot straight at Palop.
Messi's early goal further settled Barca's nerves and the Catalan side quickly found its short-passing game.
Alves and Messi nearly combined to effect again in the 38th when the latter volleyed a cross from the defender just over from close range.
With Sevilla battling with Mallorca for the fourth Champions League spot for next season, there was plenty to play for. Early in the second half Abdoulay Konko was sent off for a second yellow card after pulling on Krkic's shirt.
"After Sevilla's second goal, they could have scored another at any moment, but (we) did well throughout," said the Catalan team's goalkeeper Victor Valdes.
Sevilla is fourth on 60 points and Mallorca fifth on 59 after losing 1-0 to Deportivo La Coruna, ensuring the fight for fourth spot will also run to the final weekend.
Villarreal kept alive its hopes of climbing into the Europa League berths for next season by beating Valencia 2-0. Giuseppe Rossi and Joseba Llorente scored for the host in the first half.
Valencia, on 68 points, had little to play for having already secured third place.
At the bottom of the table, all the teams fighting for survival still hold hope following Saturday's results.
In other games it was: Getafe 2, Malaga 1; Sporting Gijon 1, Atletico Madrid 1; Valladolid 2, Racing Santander 1; Tenerife 2, Almeria 2; Xerez 3, Zaragoza 2; and Espanyol 2, Osasuna 1.
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