La Liga: Ramos gives late-show once again, but Iborra is weekend hero
Xinhua, December 12, 2016 Adjust font size:
Real Madrid retained their six-point lead in the Spanish Primera Liga thanks to another late show from Sergio Ramos at the weekend.
The central defender scored his second injury-time goal in a week to gift Real Madrid a late win at home to Deportivo la Coruna.
Seven days ago, Ramos netted a last minute equalizer for Madrid to draw away to FC Barcelona, and this game saw him score a 92nd minute header that gave Madrid a 3-2 win which assures they will end the year as league leaders.
Alvaro Morata opened the scoring in the 50th minute before his former partner in the Real Madrid B-team, Joselu, netted in the 63rd and 65th minute to put Deportivo ahead, and a surprise win looked in the cards until Mariano's 84th minute equalizer allowed Ramos to head home another late header.
Barcelona also had to wait until the second half before assuring all three points at away to Osasuna with a comfortable 3-0 win in a game they totally dominated and would have won by a larger margin but for missed first chances.
It was not until Leo Messi helped set up Luis Suarez for the opening goal just before the hour that Barca got ahead and Messi confirmed the win with goals in the 67th and final minutes to take his personal tally for the La Liga season to 11 points.
Vicente Iborra came into the game as a halftime substitute and scored a second half hat-trick as Sevilla maintained third place with a 3-0 win away to Celta Vigo.
The result was harsh on Celta, who played their part in an entertaining game, but some fine saves from Sevilla keeper Sergio Rico kept them at bay, while Iborra's goals in the 51st, 84th and last minutes made him the unlikely hero of the weekend.
Real Sociedad moved up to fourth place with a 3-2 win against a Valencia side deep in crisis without a win in seven games.
Valencia coach Cesare Prandelli had asked for more commitment but saw how some dreadful defending allowed Willian Jose to score two headers, putting Real Sociedad 2-0 ahead after just 22 minutes.
A Dani Parejo penalty before halftime gave Valencia hope, but in a frantic last 4 minutes, Juanmi put Real Sociedad 3-1 ahead before Zaki Bakali netted a second goal when it was too late for Valencia.
Leganes took a point from their visit to Las Palmas thanks to Miguel Angel Guerrero's second half penalty which cancelled out Marko Livaja's first half strike for the home side. Enditem
Eibar and Alaves worked hard but failed to create clear cut chances in a 0-0 draw in Ipurua. While Espanyol saw their run of almost 600 minutes without conceding a goal come to an end against Sporting Gijon, they won't worry too much given that Dije Cop's 93rd minute goal for the visitors came after second half goals from Felipe Caicedo and Leo Baptistao had already given Espanyol a 2-goal lead.
Finally, Athletic Club Bilbao wasted a good chance to keep the pressure on the top four as Ruben Castro's 18th minute goal saw their poor away form continue against an improving Betis. Enditem