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Real Madrid blows away Deportivo Coruna
Madrid, Mar 24: Real Madrid swept aside Deportivo Coruna 2-0 at the Bernabeu to take full advantage of a dreadful slip from title rivals Real Sociedad and move three points clear at the top.
Madrid, Mar 24: Real Madrid swept aside Deportivo Coruna 2-0 at the Bernabeu to take full advantage of a dreadful slip from title rivals Real Sociedad and move three points clear at the top.
Ronaldo set up Zinedine Zidane for the opening goal a minute before halftime and five minutes after the break the roles were reversed, the Brazilian striker taking the Frenchman's pass to slip a shot past Jose Molina. With 11 games left to play, Vicente del Bosque's side lead the standings with 57 points, followed by Real Sociedad on 54 and Deportivo on 51. Real Madrid went into Sunday's (March 23) clash anxious to avenge Deportivo's victory the last time the two sides met at the Bernabeu in the final of last season's King's Cup. Real were immediately on the attack, with Michel Salgado and Luis Figo combining well on the right flank.
Ivan Helguera found the net with a header from Figo's cross midway through the first half but the Spanish international defender's effort was ruled offside.
Iker Casillas did well to keep out a Roy Makaay strike at the other end before Real finally made the breakthrough on 44 minutes.
Salgado made ground on the right and crossed high to the far post. Ronaldo was being closely watched but he managed to dig the ball out and slip a pass to an unmarked Zidane to tap in.
Zidane returned the favour with an exquisite assist for the second shortly after the break and that settled matters against a strangely subdued Deportivo side.
Real now have a six-point lead over Deportivo, the 2000 champions, and are three points clear of Real Sociedad.
Results of Spanish first division soccer matches played on Sunday: Barcelona 6 Racing Santander 1 Celta Vigo 2 Athletic Bilbao 1 Malaga 0 Real Betis 0 Real Madrid 2 Deportivo Coruna 0 Real Mallorca 2 Valladolid 1 Real Sociedad 2 Villarreal 2 Recreativo Huelva 1 Osasuna 1 Sevilla 3 Alaves 2 Valencia 1 Espanyol 1
Played Saturday: Rayo Vallecano 0 Atletico Madrid 0 P W D L F A Pts 1. Real Madrid 27 16 9 2 61 26 57 2. Real Sociedad 27 15 9 3 47 34 54 3. Deportivo Coruna 27 15 6 6 43 29 51 4. Valencia 27 13 8 6 42 21 47 5. Celta Vigo 27 13 5 9 33 24 44 6. Atletico Madrid 27 10 9 8 38 33 39 7. Sevilla 27 10 9 8 24 20 39 8. Real Betis 27 10 8 9 37 38 38 9. Barcelona 27 9 9 9 44 34 36 10. Real Mallorca 27 10 5 12 30 42 35 11. Athletic Bilbao 27 9 6 12 39 46 33 12. Malaga 27 7 11 9 34 33 32 13. Valladolid 27 9 5 13 27 31 32 14. Villarreal 27 8 8 11 27 33 32 15. Espanyol 27 8 6 13 29 36 30 16. Osasuna 27 7 9 11 27 34 30 17. Racing Santander 27 9 2 16 33 43 29 18. Alaves 27 7 8 12 31 50 29 19. Rayo Vallecano 27 7 5 15 24 40 26 20. Recreativo Huelva 27 5 9 13 26 49 24
Bureau Report
Ronaldo set up Zinedine Zidane for the opening goal a minute before halftime and five minutes after the break the roles were reversed, the Brazilian striker taking the Frenchman's pass to slip a shot past Jose Molina. With 11 games left to play, Vicente del Bosque's side lead the standings with 57 points, followed by Real Sociedad on 54 and Deportivo on 51. Real Madrid went into Sunday's (March 23) clash anxious to avenge Deportivo's victory the last time the two sides met at the Bernabeu in the final of last season's King's Cup. Real were immediately on the attack, with Michel Salgado and Luis Figo combining well on the right flank.
Ivan Helguera found the net with a header from Figo's cross midway through the first half but the Spanish international defender's effort was ruled offside.
Iker Casillas did well to keep out a Roy Makaay strike at the other end before Real finally made the breakthrough on 44 minutes.
Salgado made ground on the right and crossed high to the far post. Ronaldo was being closely watched but he managed to dig the ball out and slip a pass to an unmarked Zidane to tap in.
Zidane returned the favour with an exquisite assist for the second shortly after the break and that settled matters against a strangely subdued Deportivo side.
Real now have a six-point lead over Deportivo, the 2000 champions, and are three points clear of Real Sociedad.
Results of Spanish first division soccer matches played on Sunday: Barcelona 6 Racing Santander 1 Celta Vigo 2 Athletic Bilbao 1 Malaga 0 Real Betis 0 Real Madrid 2 Deportivo Coruna 0 Real Mallorca 2 Valladolid 1 Real Sociedad 2 Villarreal 2 Recreativo Huelva 1 Osasuna 1 Sevilla 3 Alaves 2 Valencia 1 Espanyol 1
Played Saturday: Rayo Vallecano 0 Atletico Madrid 0 P W D L F A Pts 1. Real Madrid 27 16 9 2 61 26 57 2. Real Sociedad 27 15 9 3 47 34 54 3. Deportivo Coruna 27 15 6 6 43 29 51 4. Valencia 27 13 8 6 42 21 47 5. Celta Vigo 27 13 5 9 33 24 44 6. Atletico Madrid 27 10 9 8 38 33 39 7. Sevilla 27 10 9 8 24 20 39 8. Real Betis 27 10 8 9 37 38 38 9. Barcelona 27 9 9 9 44 34 36 10. Real Mallorca 27 10 5 12 30 42 35 11. Athletic Bilbao 27 9 6 12 39 46 33 12. Malaga 27 7 11 9 34 33 32 13. Valladolid 27 9 5 13 27 31 32 14. Villarreal 27 8 8 11 27 33 32 15. Espanyol 27 8 6 13 29 36 30 16. Osasuna 27 7 9 11 27 34 30 17. Racing Santander 27 9 2 16 33 43 29 18. Alaves 27 7 8 12 31 50 29 19. Rayo Vallecano 27 7 5 15 24 40 26 20. Recreativo Huelva 27 5 9 13 26 49 24
Bureau Report