Bullish Betis block Madrid

Real Madrid CF spurned the chance to go top of the Spanish Primera División on Sunday when they were held to a 1-1 draw by plucky Real Betis Balompié at the Manuel Ruíz de Lopera stadium.

Joaquín opener
Joaquín Sánchez opened the scoring for Betis, who dominated proceedings before the break, after Iker Casillas failed to hold on to a shot from striker Fernando. The Spanish international winger was on hand to tuck the ball in just past the half-hour mark.

Ronaldo equaliser
Ronaldo equalised in emphatic fashion nine minutes after half-time with his 15th league goal of the season. The Brazilian met a Zinedine Zidane assist with an acrobatic bicycle kick which sailed past goalkeeper Pedro Contreras.

Cañizares save
Madrid's missed opportunity only presented itself after Valencia CF were held to a 0-0 draw by Real Valladolid on Saturday. The visitors, who remain a point clear at the summit, lacked sparkle without suspended midfield player Pablo Aimar and only escaped defeat thanks to a tremendous late save from goalkeeper Santiago Cañizares.

Gap reduced
Third-placed RC Deportivo La Coruña made ground on the leaders with a convincing 4-1 home defeat of Real Zaragoza. The Galician side had to overcome a one-goal deficit to claim the victory after midfield player Juan Carlos Valerón bundled the ball into his own net in the fifth minute. But the Spanish international atoned for his error, initiating the move which led to Diego Tristán’s equaliser and putting his side ahead with a glancing header just after the interval. Tristán headed his second in the 76th minute and Sergio González wrapped up the win four minutes from time. 

Atlético fourth
Fernando Torres, with his 12th goal of the season, and Mirsad Hibic were both on the scoresheet as Club Atlético de Madrid moved into fourth place thanks to a 2-1 defeat of Sevilla FC at the Vicente Calderón. Villarreal CF sit just a place behind following a comfortable 2-0 win against Málaga CF.

Gurpegui equaliser
Carlos Gurpegui's 84th-minute header earned Athletic Club Bilbao a point in a 1-1 draw at FC Barcelona on Saturday. Substitute Patrick Kluivert had polished off a Giovanni van Bronckhorst cross to give the home team the lead.

Revival on
Real Sociedad de Fútbol, who defeated Madrid last week, continued their revival with a 3-1 home defeat of RCD Espanyol. Bottom club Real Murcia CF collected their tenth draw of the season against RC Celta de Vigo while the RCD Mallorca-Real Racing Club Santander and CA Osasuna-Albacete Balompié encounters both ended 1-1.