Sevilla end Real Madrid’s unbeaten run
MADRID (AP): SEVILLA GRABBED two late goals to end Real Madrid’s 40-game unbeaten streak and move within one point of their rivals atop the Spanish league with the 2-1 win yesterday.
Cristiano Ronaldo gave Madrid the lead by converting a penalty kick in the 67th minute, but Sevilla rallied with an own goal by Sergio Ramos in the 85th.
Stevan Jovetic´ scored the winner from outside the area two minutes into injury time at Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium in Seville.
The result handed Madrid their first defeat since a 2-0 loss at Wolfsburg in April in the quarter-finals of the Champions League last season.
Karim Benzema’s injurytime equaliser against Sevilla in the Copa del Rey match on Thursday had allowed Madrid to break the unbeaten Spanish record that they shared with Barcelona.
Barcelona stayed third after beating Las Palmas 5-0 at Camp Nou on Saturday, while fourth-placed Atlético edged Real Betis 1-0 at home for its third win in a row.
Valencia finally won again by beating Espanyol 2-1 to end a three-month drought in the league and move further from the relegation zone.
Martin Montoya scored from close range in the 17th minute and Santi Mina sealed the victory in the 73rd at Mestalla Stadium as Valencia snapped their eight-game winless streak to open a four-point gap to the relegation teams.
David Lopez netted for Espanyol in the 85th, but Valencia held on to earn the elusive victory.
“This result will give us a lot of confidence to keep on working,” Valencia coach Salvador ‘Voro’ González said: “To improve, we needed to win, and we are very happy.”
BEST GAME
Valencia hadn’t won in the league since a 2-1 result at Sporting Gijon in October, in what was the first match in charge for Cesare Prandelli, the former Italy coach who resigned during the winter break because of the team’s struggles.
“I think it was our best game of the season,” Santi Mina said. “We have played well in some other games, but we didn’t pick up three points.”
Serbian midfielder Nemanja Radoja scored an 89th-minute winner as Celta Vigo salvaged a 1-0 home win over 10-man Alaves.
It was the second consecutive win for Celta, which moved to eighth place.
Alaves, 12th in the table, played a man down from the first minute of the second half as Moroccan defender Zouhair Feddal was shown a second yellow card after a hard foul.