Last gasp Zidane goal saves Madrid’s blushes
Two goals in the last three minutes from Raul Bravo and Zinedine Zidane saved Real’s blushes, and possibly Vanderlei Luxemburgo’s job, in a pulsating clash against Real Sociedad, while in Spain’s other late game Barcelona crushed Racing Santander 4-1 with Eto’o, Messi, Ronaldinho and Sylvinho on target.
Xabi Prieto put Sociedad ahead from the penalty spot just before the break, after Roberto Carlos was adjudged to have pushed over Oscar De Paula. De Paula himself got Sociedad’s second with a header after 58 minutes.
Madrid’s woes increased when Sergio Ramos was sent off for the second time this season after 73 minutes although Sociedad themselves were reduced to 10 men when Gaizka Garitano got his marching orders nine minutes later.
Sociedad, with the worst defensive record in the Spanish first division, buckled under Madrid’s increasingly desperate attempts to exert pressure and the hosts conceded two late goals from goalmouth scrambles.
Primera Liga high-fliers Osasuna came from a goal down to clinch an exciting 3-2 victory over Alaves yesterday and preserve their 100% record at home this season.
Osasuna’s seventh win in seven home games sent them to the top of the standings for a few hours until Barca overtook them last night.
Javier Aguirre’s side fell behind early in the second half when Brazilian forward Nene stabbed home after Osasuna keeper Ricardo had parried a Ruben Navarro header into his path.
Osasuna were back on level terms just three minutes later when Savo Milosevic ghosted in at the far post after a corner and skipper Patxi Punal put them in front from the penalty spot midway through the half. Moroccan midfielder Moha made it 3-1 with a cool finish after latching on to a huge pass from inside his own half. Although former Osasuna striker John Aloisi pulled one back for the visitors in the final minute, it was not enough to stop the Navarrans notching up yet another home win.
Villarreal moved up to third spot, five points adrift of the leaders, after a 2-0 win at Deportivo La Coruna thanks to a Juan Roman Riquelme free kick and a strike from fellow Argentine Juan Pablo Sorin.
In Italy, Juventus restored their five-point lead at the top of Italy’s Serie A with a 3-1 home win over Treviso. Milan had cut Juve’s advantage to two points by defeating Lecce on Saturday but the reigning champions responded to the challenge despite going a goal behind in chilly Turin.
Francesco Parravicini gave Treviso a shock 25th minute lead before the hosts hit back with goals from Adrian Mutu and David Trezeguet before half-time. Juve, who were without suspended French pair Lilian Thuram and Patrick Vieira, rode their luck at times in the second half before Alessandro Del Piero eased their jitters with a third goal eight minutes from the end.
In last night’s late Serie A game Roma and Fiorentina played out a 1-1 draw.
Inter remain 10 points off the pace in fourth after their 2-1 win at Messina where goals from Alvaro Recoba and Esteban Cambiasso clinched victory. However, the match was marred by the constant racial abuse aimed at Messina’s Ivory Coast defender Marc Zoro by the visiting Inter fans.
Lazio beat Empoli 3-2 courtesy of Fabio Liverani’s late winner for their first away win, while two goals in a three-minute spell from Brazilian Barreto gave Udinese a 2-1 victory at Parma.
On Saturday at the San Siro, Filippo Inzaghi scored a dramatic winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time to give AC Milan a precious 2-1 home victory over struggling Lecce. Inzaghi, a 74th minute substitute for Alberto Gilardino, struck with a close range volley to seal three precious points after Cedric Konan had cancelled out Andrea Pirlo’s early opening goal for the home side.
In Germany, VfB Stuttgart’s pedestrian form under Giovanni Trapattoni continued yesterday when they were held to a 1-1 draw at Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga. Stuttgart, trailing to a 19th-minute goal from Ioannis Amanatidis, equalised thanks to a great finish from Danijel Ljuboja in the 63rd minute. There was little else to cheer Italian coach Trapattoni as his side claimed their sixth draw in seven games. That left them in eighth place with 18 points from 14 matches - already 19 points behind leaders Bayern Munich. Champions Bayern won 2-1 at home to Mainz on Saturday to stretch their lead at the top to six points. Hamburg SV climbed to second on 31 points thanks to a 1-0 win at Bayer Leverkusen. Werder Bremen are third on 29 following their 2-1 defeat at Schalke, who are fourth, four points behind them.
In yesterday’s other game Hertha Berlin recovered from two goals down to draw 2-2 at home to Borussia Moenchengladbach. Hertha are in fifth on 22 points, with ‘Gladbach seventh on 21.
Dutch leaders PSV Eindhoven cruised to a 3-0 win over lowly ADO Den Haag while second-placed Feyenoord thrashed Heracles Almelo 7-1 yesterday.
Ajax Amsterdam, mired in their worst start for 40 years, lost 1-0 at Utrecht to slip to ninth place.
After 13 matches PSV are top with 32 points, one more then Feyenoord.
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