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Rampant Madrid end year with flourish

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Real Madrid CF produced a blistering first-half performance to defeat struggling Real Zaragoza 6-0 at the Santiago Bernabéu and end 2009 two points adrift of Liga pacesetters FC Barcelona.

Madrid enjoyed themselves at Zaragoza's expense on Saturday
Madrid enjoyed themselves at Zaragoza's expense on Saturday ©Getty Images

Real Madrid CF produced a blistering first-half performance to defeat struggling Real Zaragoza 6-0 at the Santiago Bernabéu and end 2009 two points adrift of Liga leaders FC Barcelona.

Two goals apiece
With Barça in Abu Dhabi contesting the FIFA Club World Cup final, Madrid ruthlessly closed the gap thanks, largely, to a four-goal burst before the break. Gonzalo Higuaín began the scoring after three minutes and struck again just past the half-hour mark with a deft lob over goalkeeper Javier López Vallejo after expertly bringing down a defensive header. The Argentine now has ten Liga goals to his name this term. In between Higuaín's double, Rafael van der Vaart weighed in with two himself in as many minutes while Cristiano Ronaldo (50) added a fifth and substitute Karim Benzema (71) rounded off the scoring shortly after replacing Marcelo.

Prolific Soldado
That moved Madrid seven points clear of fellow UEFA Champions League contenders Sevilla FC, who lost 2-1 at home to Getafe CF. Roberto Soldado was the visitors' matchwinner, his first-half double taking his tally into double figures for the season and six in his last three appearances. Álvaro Negredo (51) pulled one back for Sevilla, who will slip to fourth if Valencia CF defeat RC Deportivo La Coruña on Sunday. In the day's other match, Francisco Yeste and Fernando Llorente were on target inside the opening 12 minutes as UEFA Europa League hopefuls Athletic Club moved into sixth place by beating CA Osasuna 2-0.

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