Valencia rocks Real to reignite title race

MADRID: Cup finalist Valencia blew the title race wide open with Angel Arizmendi's late goal sealing a sensational 3-2 win over champion Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday.

Real is now just four points ahead of Barcelona at the top after Frank Rijkaard's team crushed Valladolid 4-1 at Camp Nou.

Real captain Raul Gonzalez showed he is not sulking about once again being ommitted from the Spain squad with a double to put Real 2-1 up, but compatriot David Villa grabbed a brace himself before Arizmendi scored the 88th-minute winner.

"It is hugely disappointing to have lost this match, but that is football," said Real coach Bernd Schuster. "The truth is that recently we have been made to pay for our mistakes.

"I have already told some players that sometimes in these matches it is better to settle for the draw. It wasn't necessary to risk so much to create a chance."

Valencia may have dumped Barcelona out of the Cup in midweek but it did the Catalan club a huge favor and avenged its painful 5-1 drubbing by Real earlier this season.

Ronald Koeman's side climbs to tenth with a win that allays lingering fears of relegation.

"The last few days have been fantastic with wins over Barcelona and now Real," said Koeman. "We are more relaxed now and this team is capable of playing really well."

It was a nice present to Barca from old boy Koeman after Rijkaard's team dispatached Valladolid thanks to a brace from youngster Bojan Krkic and goals from Samuel Eto'o and Andres Iniesta.

It was the perfect tonic for Rijkaard with more doubts expressed about his future following the Kings Cup semi-final defeat to Valencia.

"The players wanted to make a point and they deserve credit for their reaction to the cup defeat," said Rijkaard. "Now I hope our injured players can recover as soon as possible and that we have Deco, (Rafael) Marquez and Ronaldinho back soon."

Real started without Ruud van Nistelrooy, sidelined for several weeks with an ankle injury, but welcomed back Sergio Ramos from suspension.

The last time these two sides met Real was 4-0 up after just 36 minutes, but there was no repeat as Valencia took the lead on 33 minutes.

Villa, a probable transfer target for Real this summer, broke the offside trap to curl the ball beyond Iker Casillas.

But the lead lasted barely sixty seconds as Raul headed in a Robinho cross.

Valencia looked a different side after its cup triumph over Barcelona and attacked with verve, but Guti opened up its backline with a perfectly weighted pass and Raul drilled in his second goal.

Pepe was then adjudged to have fouled Daniel Silva in the penalty area and Villa smashed the spot kick past Casillas.

Timo Hildebrand made several key saves before Arizmendi popped up with the killer blow late on.

Villarreal stayed two points behind Barcelona in third thanks to a late 2-1 win over Levante.

It was coach Manuel Pellegrini's 200th game in charge of Villarreal and Guille Franco ensured the landmark was not soured with an 82nd-minute winner.

Villarreal is now nine points clear of fifth-placed Racing but Pellegrini is not getting complacent.

"We do not have enough points until we are mathematically certain of qualification for the Champions League," said Pellegrini.

Espanyol's Champions League hopes suffered a major blow with an embarassing 4-0 thrashing by struggling Real Murcia.

A brace from Ivan Alonso helped Murcia down Espanyol, which falls five points adrift of the Champions League spots.

It was a first win in charge for Murcia coach Javier Clemente against his former club and it is now six points from safety.

AFP

(China Daily 03/25/2008 page22)