Ronaldo rescues Madrid

Ronaldo scored a last-gasp goal as Real Madrid CF reclaimed first place in the Primera División on Sunday, fighting back from two goals down to snatch a 3-2 win at Real Valladolid CF.

Oscar double
The result lifted the defending champions two points clear of second-placed Valencia CF, who produced a scintillating display to demolish Málaga CF 6-1 on Saturday night and go temporarily top of the standings. Valladolid, handed a humiliating 7-2 thrashing when the sides met at the Santiago Bernabéu earlier this season, looked on course for a surprise victory after a well-taken double from midfield player Oscar González had put them 2-0 ahead at half-time.

Newfound conviction
But Madrid attacked with a conviction previously lacking after the break and levelled through a close-range strike from Zinedine Zidane, which deflected in off Ronaldo, in the 48th minute and a calmly taken penalty from Luís Figo 16 minutes later.

Two sent off
Juan Manuel Peña was sent off for the handball offence that prompted the penalty but Madrid were also reduced to ten men following Santiago Solari's dismissal eight minutes later. Both teams had chances to collect the winner late on, but it was the visitors who did so when Ronaldo shot on the turn from just inside the area a minute into added time.

Tristán goal
Third-placed RC Deportivo La Coruña managed to stay in touch with the top two by defeating Sevilla FC 1-0 to cap a miserable week for supporters of the Andalucian club. In the team’s first league match since the departure of José Antonio Reyes to Arsenal FC, Diego Tristán scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot just shy of the half-hour mark.

‘Bounced back’
FC Barcelona, now in fifth place, bounced back from the disappointment of their midweek Copa del Rey exit at the hands of Real Zaragoza by trouncing Albacete Balompié 5-0. Xavi Hernández put the Catalan team ahead with a deflected shot in the 16th minute before Javier Saviola, Ricardo Quaresma, Edgar Davids and Luis Enrique were all on target in the second half.

Late winner
A last-minute goal from Romanian Claudiu Raducanu on his debut was enough for RCD Espanyol to sneak a 1-0 victory against Villarreal CF while Club Athletic Bilbao overcame RCD Mallorca 3-1. Francisco Yeste and Joseba Etxeberria were both on target for the away side, who also profited from an own goal from defender Federico Lussenhoff. Elsewhere, Real Murcia CF edged out real Zaragoza 1-0 while Real Sociedad de Fútbol continued their recent revival, winning 1-0 against Real Racing Club Santander to go ninth.