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Sports / Soccer |
Leaders Real grab late win, Zaragoza hammer Villarreal(Agencies)
Updated: 2007-10-29 10:39 MADRID - Leaders Real Madrid scored two late goals to secure a 3-1 home win over Deportivo Coruna in the Primera Liga on Sunday. Depor took a second-minute lead through Xisco in the Bernabeu, though Ruud van Nistelrooy quickly levelled from the penalty spot. Real improved after a poor first half but it was not until the 79th minute when substitute Raul put the champions in front. Robinho added a third at the end. "We aren't playing that well but we are still a new team and we are top. Imagine what we'll be like when we start playing well," Real's Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder told Radio Marca. Real are top with 22 points from nine games, two ahead of arch-rivals Barcelona who moved up to second after they comfortably saw off promoted Almeria 2-0 in the Nou Camp. France striker Thierry Henry, whose recent performances have been put under the spotlight, poached his fourth league goal just before the break. Argentina's Lionel Messi came off the bench to convert a penalty nine minutes from time as Barca raised their game towards the end. Valencia are fourth with 18 points, the same as Villarreal, after they fell 3-0 away to a Sevilla side motivated to give new coach Manuel Jimenez a winning start. Jimenez stepped up to replace Juande Ramos, after he quit to join Tottenham Hotspur earlier in the week, and saw Frederic Kanoute fire the opener in the tenth minute. The UEFA Cup holders were always in control and made sure of their third victory in a week when Christian Poulsen and Luis Fabiano netted late in the second half. Fourth-placed Villarreal were hammered 4-1 at Real Zaragoza, as Ricardo Oliveira, Oscar, Diego Milito and Sergio Garcia all got on the scoresheet. Diego Forlan's first-half strike was enough to put Atletico Madrid fifth on 17 points as they edged out bottom club Levante 1-0 away. Espanyol are sixth, also on 17 points, after drawing 2-2 with Real Mallorca on Saturday. CAUGHT NAPPING Real were caught napping by Depor when a long punt from visiting goalkeeper Dudu Aouate was crossed into the area for Xisco to score unchallenged. But Real equalised six minutes later when a rash tackle on Van Nistelrooy earned them a penalty. The Dutchman scored from the spot. Real struggled to impose themselves and Depor were always in the game. Raul, who made his debut in the Primera Liga with Real on this day 13 years ago, came off the bench midway through the second half and scored after good approach work from Guti and Van Nistelrooy. In the last minute, Guti put Robinho through into the area and the Brazilian skipped past Aouate and two defenders to score and lift restless home fans. |
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