Real go top to put pressure on Barca

November 22, 2009

Real Madrid warmed up for next Sunday’s ‘El Clasico’ with a 1-0 home win over Racing Santander on Saturday to move top of the table, two points clear of champions and arch rivals Barcelona.

Argentine Gonzalo Higuain’s goal after 22 minutes sealed a nervy Real victory that hardly appeased a Santiago Bernabeu crowd seething at the embarrassing Kings Cup exit to third division Alcorcon in the last home match.

Barcelona can reclaim top spot with vicory at Athletic Bilbao later on Saturday before the eagerly-anticipated clash between Real and Barca at Camp Nou next Sunday.

“It is always complicated after a two-week break and coming off the back of the Kings Cup loss,” explained Real coach Manuel Pellegrini.

“When you get towards the end of the match with only a goal cushion it is always risky but we had several chances and also hit the post twice.

“Now we have to concentrate on FC Zurich (in the Champions League) and then we can look at the Barcelona game.”

Real began without the sidelined Cristiano Ronaldo for the tenth consecutive game while captain Raul started on the substitutes bench for the third successive league game.

Xabi Alonso rattled the post for Real in the opening stages while former Liverpool team-mate Alvaro Arbeloa saw his overhit cross clip the same post.

A Real goal looked on the cards and they got a helping hand when goalkeeper Tono foolishly pushed Kaka’s cross into the danger zone and Higuain had an easy tap in on 22 minutes.

It was a nightmare start for Racing coach Miguel Angel Portugal in his first game in charge but Real didn’t build on their encouraging start.

Luis Garcia had three good shooting chances for Racing but failed to hit the target on each occasion.

Higuain should have scored his second on 70 minutes but Tono pulled off a fine save to keep his side in the match.

Racing then had what looked a perfectly valid equaliser ruled out for offside leaving Racing goalscorer Sergio Canales dumbfounded.

Real now host FC Zurich in the Champions League on Wednesday needing a win with AC Milan on the same points and Marseille just a point behind.

Barcelona are also in Champions League action at home to Inter Milan on Tuesday in a must-win game for the holders.

Sevilla kept up their own title charge with a 2-1 win at promoted Tenerife to stay three points behind leaders Real.

Argentine winger Diego Perotti and Brazilian Renato were on target as Sevilla kept pace with Barcelona and Real.

The 21-year-old Perotti, who won his first cap for Argentina this month, struck the opener on 32 minutes before Renato added a second three minutes after the break.

Manolo Jimenez’s side now travel to Unirea Urziceni in the Champions League on Tuesday with qualification for the knockout stage secure.

Elsewhere Deportivo La Coruna moved up to fourth with a dramatic 2-1 home win over Atletico Madrid.

Mexican Andres Guardado converted a controversial penalty five minutes into stoppage time to down Atletico who stay in the bottom three with coach Quique Sanchez Flores still waiting for his first league win in charge.

“We weren’t expecting that ending but things like that can happen in football,” said Flores. “It is not going to be easy to bounce back in the league.”

The game looked poised to end 1-1 but Pablo Ibanez conceded a penalty at the death and Guardado made no mistake.

Atletico forward Sergio “Kun” Aguero was furious about the decision with coach Flores coming onto the pitch to calm him down while Atletico midfielder Cleber Santana was sent off for complaining.

MADRID (AFP)

Tags: arch rivals, athletic bilbao, camp nou, consecutive game, cristiano ronaldo, fc zurich, gonzalo higuain, good shooting, home match, kings cup, liverpool team, manuel pellegrini, match racing, miguel angel portugal, racing santander, real madrid, real victory, santiago bernabeu, team mate, xabi alonso

PSG win sets up super Sunday in France

February 8, 2009

PARIS (AFP) – Former France international forward Ludovic Giuly struck twice as Paris Saint Germain continued their bid for an unlikely French title with a 4-1 drubbing of Nantes on Saturday.

Of the top title contenders in action this weekend, PSG – who flirted with relegation last season – were alone in playing Saturday but they promptly capitalised on the chance to steal a march on Lyon, Bordeaux and Marseille.

Ex-Barcelona forward Giuly fired past former PSG keeper Jerome Alonzo in the 12th minute before strike partner Peguy Luyindula doubled their lead in the 20th minute.

Djamel Abdoun scored Nantes’ goal, from the penalty spot, on 36 minutes but a Giuly strike five minutes after the restart allowed Paul Le Guen’s side some breathing space before a scorcher from Stephane Sessegnon on 71 minutes settled the match.

PSG’s 13th win of the season from 23 games left them in third spot on 42 points, equal with second-placed Bordeaux and one point adrift of leaders and seven-times champions Lyon.

Lyon face Nice knowing there is no room for error, while the pressure could all be on Marseille, who dropped to fifth Saturday after Toulouse’s 2-0 home win against Le Mans, when they host Laurent Blanc’s title-chasing Bordeaux.

For PSG coach Le Guen it has been a testing few days. The club on Friday suspended Serbian international Mateja Kezman for two weeks after a shirt-throwing temper tantrum during the midweek League Cup loss to Bordeaux.

This win has helped soothe the pains, but Le Guen is doing his best to keep all talk of winning the championship restricted to Lyon and Bordeaux.

"This is a real victory for us, we went out and did what we set out to do," Le Guen told Canal Plus television.

"We dominated and we were solid throughout. We created a lot of chances, and came up with a great performance a few days after our defeat on Wednesday.

"But the title? No, I think Bordeaux and Lyon are the real contenders. We want to keep niggling at them, but the question is whether we can or not."

Elsewhere Saturday struggling Saint-Etienne gave their relegation battle a boost with a precious 3-2 win at home against Caen.

Rennes, who weeks ago were firmly in the title chase, dropped two precious points in a 1-0 defeat, thanks to a last-minute winner by Amadou Alassane, away to rock-bottom Le Havre.

Monaco took a share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw away to fellow mid-table side Lorient while Auxerre stayed well clear of the relegation zone with a 2-0 away win at Nancy.

Written by: AFP