The Hindu : Sport / Football : Villareal downs Real Madrid

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Monday, Jan 29, 2007
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Villareal downs Real Madrid

Madrid: Villarreal put the brakes on Real Madrid's revival with a 1-0 win in the Spanish League on Saturday. Teenage striker Marcos Garcia scored the lone goal after 67 minutes.

Villarreal had the best of the first half but failed to make the most of its opportunities with Matias Fernandez, Marcos Senna and Jose Enrique Sanchez all squandering good opportunities.

Real came out after the break looking a more composed side but a quick Villarreal counter-attack, against the run of play, reaped dividends midway through the second half.

Diego Forlan started the move in the midfield, with the Real defence pressed too far forward, and found Fernandez.

The Chilean striker passed the ball to his left and found 19-year-old Marcos Garcia, who kept his cool to send his left foot shot past the oncoming Iker Casillas.

Real couldn't break down Villarreal and stayed in third place in the Spanish first division although they will slip back a place if Valencia win at Real Betis today.

Atletico Madrid extended its unbeaten streak to six games but stayed in fifth place after it had to come from behind to salvage a 1-1 draw against Racing Santander.

Racing's giant Serbian striker Nicola Zigic broke the deadlock after 73 minutes when he found the net from close range after a pass from Pablo Munitis.

However, barely two minutes elapsed after Racing went ahead before Pablo Ibanez equalised, the Spanish international defender heading home a Jose Jurado free kick.

Barca coach Frank Rijkaard will have to tinker with his defence due to the suspension of Rafa Marquez and injury to Lilian Thuram.

Oleguer Presas is likely to be recalled to the centre of the defence to accompany Barca captain Carles Puyol while Gianluca Zambrotta should return at right back after injury.

One man looking to prove himself against Celta, after several lacklustre games, is the 2004 and 2005 World Player of the Year Ronaldinho.

``If the team isn't good, it's not just because of one player. I don't understand what all the noise is about. How many goals has he set up? How many goals has he got? How many games has he decided?,'' said coach Rijkaard.

Second-placed Sevilla have 38 points and are one point behind Barca but have yet to win in 2007.

The results: Spanish League: Atletico Madrid 1 (Pablo 75) drew with Racing Santander 1 (Zigic 73); Villarreal 1 (Marcos 67) bt Real Madrid 0 FA Cup: Fourth round: Barnet 0 lost to Plymouth 2 (Aljofree 67-pen, Sinclair 83); Birmingham 2 (Taylor 47, Larsson 90) lost to Reading 3 (Kitson 3, Lita 41, 82); Blackpool 1 (Evatt 52) drew with Norwich 1 (Huckerby 45); Bristol City 2 (Keogh 53, Murray 59) drew with Middlesbrough 2 (Yakubu 4, Christie 23); Crystal Palace 0 lost to Preston 2 (Nugent 46, Wilson 83); Derby 1 (Peschisolido 82) bt Bristol Rovers 0

Fulham 3 (Montella 11, McBride 39, Radzinski 54) bt Stoke 0; Ipswich 1 (Lee 64-pen) bt Swansea 0; Luton 0 lost to Blackburn 4 (Derbyshire 10, 56, McCarthy 37, Pedersen 74); Manchester United 2 (Rooney 77, 83) bt Portsmouth 1 (Kanu 87); Tottenham 3 (Keane 12, Jenas 50, Mido 76) bt Southend 1 (Eastwood 69-pen); West Ham 0 lost to Watford 1 (McNamee 42)

Italian league: Torino 2 (Abbruscato 77, 90+3) lost to Udinese 3 (Obodo 18, Barreto 32, Gyan 61); Palermo 0 lost to Lazio 3 (Rocchi 44, 79-pen, Siviglia 52). — Agencies

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