Real widen lead with win at Mallorca
Madrid side rally from a goal down to win 2-1 and go eight points clear of rivals Barca
Madrid (AFP) Jose Callejon grabbed a late winner for Real Madrid as Jose Mouri nho’s men fought back from a goal down to defeat Mallorca 2-1 and go eight points clear of bitter rivals Barcelona at the top of La Liga on Saturday.
The win piled the pressure on champions Barcelona who were to tackle Real Betis at home yesterday.
I s r a e l i i n t e r n a t i o n a l Tomer Hemed put Mallorca in front in the first-half and it looked like a surprise result was on the cards before substitute Gonzalo Higuain gave Madrid hope with a 71st minute equaliser.
Callejon then struck what could prove to be a crucial winner in the 82nd minute of a game where Real were second best in the first half.
“They defended well with no errors and knew how we would attack them, they played really well, especially in the f irst-half,” said Mourinho.
“We had to take risks in the second half to win. I took Marcelo off because I wanted to go with three at the back. I put Fabio Coentrao with Pepe and Sergio Ramos, bacause they are quick enough to play in a three-man defence.”
Callejon added: “The most key thing is the teamwork that keeps us at the top, the three points are much more important than my goal.”
Mallorca were well-organised at the start, content to relinquish possession to Madrid, which allowed the island side to counter-attack with pace.
The quick Victor Casadesus had the first opportunity when he narrowly failed to steer the ball home after good work from Hemed on the right on nine minutes.
The breakthrough came for the home side on 38 minutes when Chori Castro created the space to whip in a cross at pace for Hemed to stoop in front of the Madrid defence and glance a header past goalkeeper Iker Casillas.
Dudu Aouate remained untroubled in the Mallorca goal until the 72nd minute when Higuain turned in the equaliser with a deflection after a clever through ball from Mesut Ozil.
It looked like Mallorca had done enough for a point when Aouate came off his line to block at the feet of Higuain on 84 minutes. However, the ball fell to Callejon who thumped the ball past the stranded keeper to give Madrid a vital win and boost their La Liga hopes.