La Liga wrap: Barca extend lead, Valencia consolidate third

Barcelona moved 10 points clear of Real Madrid in La Liga with an uncharacteristically staid 1-0 win over Real Zaragoza on Saturday.

Seydou Keita was the unlikely hero at the Camp Nou, notching just his second goal of the season two minutes from half-time to secure Barca’s fourth straight league victory.

Barca was lacklustre in the first half before Lionel Messi sparked the Spanish champions into action, sweeping a cross to Keita at the far post for the Malian defender to tuck past Zaragoza goalkeeper Dolbas.

It was just reward for Keita, who had earlier had a goal controversially disallowed for offside.

Pep Guardiola was a less animated figure than usual on the touchline, the Barca boss still suffering from a back injury that necessitated his hospitalisation on Thursday.

Real Madrid will have a chance to reduce the gap to seven points when they take on Racing Santander on Sunday.

Elsewhere, Villarreal’s top-three hopes suffered a blow with a 3-1 loss at Atletico Madrid.

Jose Antonio Reyes put Atletico in front five minutes in with a fine curling effort from 20 yards out, but Giuseppe Rossi drew Villarreal level with a left-footed redirection of Santi Cazorla’s free kick after 33 minutes.

But Atletico responded after the break with quick goals to Sergio Aguero (69) and Diego Forlan (72), the former played in to the area by Filipe Luis for an easy finish and the latter converting from close range on Reyes’ good work.

Finally, Pablo Hernandez scored in either half as Valencia ran out 2-1 winners at Mallorca, leaving the visitors well placed to clinch third spot behind Barca and Real.

Sun 6 March, 2011

La Liga wrap: Barca extend lead, Valencia consolidate third

Barcelona moved 10 points clear of Real Madrid in La Liga with an uncharacteristically staid 1-0 win over Real Zaragoza on Saturday.

Seydou Keita was the unlikely hero at the Camp Nou, notching just his second goal of the season two minutes from half-time to secure Barca’s fourth straight league victory.

Barca was lacklustre in the first half before Lionel Messi sparked the Spanish champions into action, sweeping a cross to Keita at the far post for the Malian defender to tuck past Zaragoza goalkeeper Dolbas.

It was just reward for Keita, who had earlier had a goal controversially disallowed for offside.

Pep Guardiola was a less animated figure than usual on the touchline, the Barca boss still suffering from a back injury that necessitated his hospitalisation on Thursday.

Real Madrid will have a chance to reduce the gap to seven points when they take on Racing Santander on Sunday.

Elsewhere, Villarreal’s top-three hopes suffered a blow with a 3-1 loss at Atletico Madrid.

Jose Antonio Reyes put Atletico in front five minutes in with a fine curling effort from 20 yards out, but Giuseppe Rossi drew Villarreal level with a left-footed redirection of Santi Cazorla’s free kick after 33 minutes.

But Atletico responded after the break with quick goals to Sergio Aguero (69) and Diego Forlan (72), the former played in to the area by Filipe Luis for an easy finish and the latter converting from close range on Reyes’ good work.

Finally, Pablo Hernandez scored in either half as Valencia ran out 2-1 winners at Mallorca, leaving the visitors well placed to clinch third spot behind Barca and Real.

Sun 6 March, 2011

Liga Sagres wrap: Porto extend lead, Uniao on the march

Porto restored their eight-point lead in the Liga Sagres with a 3-0 win away to Pacos de Ferreira on Sunday, but hapless Naval lost again.

The signs were ominous for Pacos when Argentina defender Nicolas Otamendi opened the scoring for Porto 11 minutes in, but a flood of goals never arrived at Estadio da Mata Real.

The hosts, 12th in the league with just one win in their last five, kept the runaway leaders out for a further 79 minutes, before they finally gave away a penalty, scored by Brazilian striker Hulk in the 90th minute.

Walter added a third shortly afterwards, but the scoreline did not do justice to Pacos’ dogged performance.

Uniao de Leiria piled further misery on Naval de Maio with a 3-0 win away to the league’s bottom club.

The visitors took just 15 minutes to breach the Naval defence, with Carlao striking from the penalty spot.

Uniao went down to 10 men with the dismissal of Paulo Vinicius in the 51st minute, but Naval were unable to take advantage and China’s Chengdong Zhang put the visitors further ahead on 64 minutes.

Diogo Amado rounded off the scoring with a goal in the 90th minute.

Uniao climb to third in the table, six points behind second-place Sporting Lisbon, while Naval remain rock bottom, eight points from safety.

Second-bottom Portimonense came away from Maritimo with a 1-1 draw despite finishing with 10 men after a last-minute own goal from Rafael Miranda.

Maritimo had taken the lead through Tcho in the 66th minute before the visitors lost Jumisse to a second yellow card with 12 minutes to go.

But the intervention of the unfortunate Miranda late on meant the spoils were shared.

Nacional missed the chance to climb to fourth after drawing 0-0 away to Olhanense.

Mon 20 December, 2010

Liga Sagres wrap: Porto extend lead, Uniao on the march

Porto restored their eight-point lead in the Liga Sagres with a 3-0 win away to Pacos de Ferreira on Sunday, but hapless Naval lost again.

The signs were ominous for Pacos when Argentina defender Nicolas Otamendi opened the scoring for Porto 11 minutes in, but a flood of goals never arrived at Estadio da Mata Real.

The hosts, 12th in the league with just one win in their last five, kept the runaway leaders out for a further 79 minutes, before they finally gave away a penalty, scored by Brazilian striker Hulk in the 90th minute.

Walter added a third shortly afterwards, but the scoreline did not do justice to Pacos’ dogged performance.

Uniao de Leiria piled further misery on Naval de Maio with a 3-0 win away to the league’s bottom club.

The visitors took just 15 minutes to breach the Naval defence, with Carlao striking from the penalty spot.

Uniao went down to 10 men with the dismissal of Paulo Vinicius in the 51st minute, but Naval were unable to take advantage and China’s Chengdong Zhang put the visitors further ahead on 64 minutes.

Diogo Amado rounded off the scoring with a goal in the 90th minute.

Uniao climb to third in the table, six points behind second-place Sporting Lisbon, while Naval remain rock bottom, eight points from safety.

Second-bottom Portimonense came away from Maritimo with a 1-1 draw despite finishing with 10 men after a last-minute own goal from Rafael Miranda.

Maritimo had taken the lead through Tcho in the 66th minute before the visitors lost Jumisse to a second yellow card with 12 minutes to go.

But the intervention of the unfortunate Miranda late on meant the spoils were shared.

Nacional missed the chance to climb to fourth after drawing 0-0 away to Olhanense.

Mon 20 December, 2010