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Real Madrid top on goal difference after epic defeat of Sevilla

Other News Materials 7 March 2010 03:37 (UTC +04:00)
Real Madrid powered their way to the top of the Spanish Liga on Saturday with an epic 3-2 comeback defeat of naive Sevilla.
Real Madrid top on goal difference after epic defeat of Sevilla

Real Madrid powered their way to the top of the Spanish Liga on Saturday with an epic 3-2 comeback defeat of naive Sevilla, dpa reported

Sevilla were 2-0 up with just half an hour left, but Real turned it round in classic style, with goals from Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos and - with an injury-time winner - Rafael Van der Vaart.

"It was incredible," said a breathless Van der Vaart at the end.

"We did really well in the second half," he added, "and could have scored more goals."

Ramos, for his part, said that "now what we have to do is continue like this, and keep on top."

The memorable win leaves Real top of the table on goal difference over Barcelona, who were held 2-2 earlier on Saturday by lowly Almeria.

Both giants have 62 points from 25 games.

Real have won all 13 of their home matches and play hosts to Barca on April 10, in what promises to be a decisive clash.

The game started badly for Real when Xabi Alonso put through his own goal in the 10th minute, under pressure from Sevilla forward Alvaro Negredo.

Things went from bad to worse in the 53rd minute, when Alonso and keeper Iker Casillas together made a complete mess of a free-kick from Ivica Dragutinovic, which drifted in to make it 2-0.

The scoreline flattered Sevilla, who were not playing well at all.

Ronaldo gave the Bernabeu faithful hope with a left-goal on the hour, and Sergio Ramos made it 2-2 by heading in a near-post corner.

The Sevilla defence looked shaky and the third goal seemed inevitable. Gonzalo Higuain hit the Sevilla woodwork twice and missed two good chances.

Two minutes into injury time, Sevilla keeper Andres Palop failed to hold a header from Higuain and Van der Vaart pushed in the rebound to make it 3-2.

Earlier on the night, Barcelona could only in Almeria, in an accident-prone match.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic and coach Pep Guardiola were controversially sent off for Barca, who needed two goals from league top scorer Lionel Messi to avoid defeat.

When asked why he had been sent off, Guardiola replied that "it is a question for (referee Clos Gomez)."

He also refused to comment on the sending-off of Ibrahimovic.

Guardiola added that "Barcelona always have to win, but this is a game in which you can draw and lose...There are many games left to play."

Barca were in trouble right from the start. After 13 minutes Almeria defender Domingo Cisma took advantage of some sloppy defending to head in a near-post corner and make it 1-0.

Barca dominated from then on, but were kept at bay by local keeper Diego Alves.

There was nothing that Alves could do when, four minutes before half-time, Messi made it 1-1 with an exquisite free-kick.

Barca then surprisingly lost control of the game on the hour.

First veteran captain Carles Puyol made it 2-1 by clumsily turning a centre from Guilherme into his own goal. Then three minutes later Ibrahimovic was harshly sent off for scuffling with Cisma, who hit the ground dramatically.

In the 67th minute Messi made it 2-2 with a close-range volley after a bad mistake by Guilherme.

Both teams had chances to win the match in a frenetic finale.

Earlier on Saturday, Deportivo Coruna had steamed up to fifth with a 3-1 home defeat of lowly Tenerife.

Juanlu gave Tenerife a shock lead after 17 minutes, after being played through by Pablo Sicilia. But in the 33th minute Juan Rodriguez made it 1-1 by heading in an Andres Guardado centre, and Deportivo were firmly in the driving seat.

Guardado made it 2-1 to Deportivo 10 minutes into the second half with a ferocious left-foot drive. And defender Diego Colotto added a third goal for the hosts in the 66th minute with a long-range right- foot drive.

Deportivo now have 41 points from 25 games, one point more than sixth-placed Mallorca but two less than Sevilla.

Tenerife, in contrast, are second from the bottom and facing a quick return to the second division.

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