Off the wire
• Xinhua World News Summary at 0030 GMT, Dec. 7  • Sao Paulo earn Libertadores spot, Vasco relegated  • Brazilian soccer results  • Australian man pleads for amnesty following his return from fighting IS in Syria  • 2nd LD: Orbital ATK resumes U.S. cargo missions to ISS months after rocket explosions  • 3rd LD Writethru: Orbital ATK resumes U.S. cargo missions to ISS months after rocket explosions  • 1st LD : Orbital ATK resumes U.S. cargo missions to ISS months after rocket explosions  • Urgent: Orbital ATK resumes U.S. cargo missions to ISS months after rocket explosions  • Man charged over malicious messages to British MP  • Zuma lashes at Western countries for linking China with colonialism  
You are here: 　 Home

A bit tighter at top as Barca draw in Spain's matchday 14

Xinhua, December 7, 2015 Adjust font size:

Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid closed the gap at the top of the BBVA Primera Liga table this weekend as they won their respective games, while league leaders, FC Barcelona could only draw in Valencia.

   Real Madrid enjoyed an easy 4-1 win at home to Getafe. Karim Benzema scored twice before halftime, while Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo also netted before the break in a game which had begun with boos aimed at coach Rafael Benitez and Real Madrid President, Florentino Perez as a result of the club's disqualification from the King's Cup knockout competition.

   The game was over as a contest in the second half despite Alexis heading a consolation goal for the visitors 20 minutes from the end.

   Atletico Madrid also claimed an important win to remain second as Diego Simeone's produced a typical organized and gritty display to win 2-0 away to Granada thanks to a headed goal from Diego Godin and Antoine Griezmann, who scored his seventh league goal of the season.

   Those results put the pressure on Barca, who played away to a Valencia side that had new coach Gary Neville watching from the stands as Barca proceeded to create and miss a hatful of chances before Luis Suarez opened the scoring on the hour.

   He had perhaps been lucky to stay on the pitch after appearing to stamp on Abdennour in an off the ball incident which the referee didn't see early in the second half

   However, after missing further chances Barca were guilty of taking their eye off the ball when Paco Alcacer controlled on he break to set up for Santi Mina to score from just inside the penalty area with a powerful drive.

   On Sunday two goals from Imanol Agirretxe, (his 10th and 11th of the season) with the last coming in the final minute of the match, helped Real Sociedad win the Basque derby at home to near neighbors, Eibar, who had taken a fourth minute lead thanks to Borja Baston's seventh goal of the campaign.

   Two goals from Claude Bakambu helped Villarreal come back from behind after conceding a first half goal at home to Rayo Vallecano, who had opened the scoring through Sanchez Ruiz Zezabed's powerful shot from outside of the penalty area.

   Meanwhile a hat-trick from Sporting Gijon striker Antonio Sanabria gave his side a 3-1 win and three vital points against relegation rivals Las Palmas.

   Malaga must have thought they had a chance of three points away to Athletic Club Bilbao when the Basque side were down to 10 men after just 19 minutes after Mikel San Jose's red card.

   However, they hardly troubled Athletic in their 71 minutes of numerical superiority and if anyone deserved the three points it was probably the home side. 

   Lucas Perez was on target yet again as Deportivo la Coruna drew at home to Sevilla, before Vicente Iborra equalized for the visitors 13 minutes from time, while Jorge Molina ended Betis' run of home defeats with the equalizing goal at home to Celta Vigo, who had taken a first half lead thanks to Bondonga.  Endi