Real Madrid beats Espanyol 3-0 in Spanish league

Posted Sunday, February 07, 2010 by AP

MADRID (AP)—Real Madrid beat Espanyol 3-0 to stay in touch with Spanish league leader Barcelona, which beat Getafe 2-1 despite playing mostly with 10 men on Saturday.

Barcelona remains five points clear at the top with 55 points. Real Madrid was second on 50. Third-place Valencia beat Valladolid 2-0 earlier to reach 42 points.

Sergio Ramos put Real Madrid ahead in the sixth minute in Bernabeu Stadium, heading in Esteban Granero’s pass.

Kaka scored the second in the 29th, sweeping the ball in after Carlos Kameni had saved Raul Gonzalez’s header.

Gonzalo Higuain controlled a long pass to score in the 90th, after going on as a substitute.

“We played well, things are going well for me and for Real Madrid,” said Kaka. “We just have to hope that Barcelona starts dropping points.”

Raul partnered Karim Benzema in attack for most of the game and Madrid dominated throughout, rarely looking like conceding.

However, in the 23rd, Sergio Ramos left an Espanyol cross for his goalkeeper Iker Casillas, who had to save when Ferran Corominas charged in and got a foot to the ball.

Espanyol had difficulty handling Madrid’s aerial game and Ramos nearly scored again in the 28th, rising to head Xabi Alonso’s cross just wide of the left post.

Kameni then made a spectacular save from a powerful Raul header, before pushing a Granero free kick round the post. The lively Kaka struck the post on the hour as Madrid had a string of chances.

Lassana Diarra replaced Jose Maria “Guti” Gutierrez 20 minutes from the end and Higuain went on for Benzema in the 73rd.

At Camp Nou, Lionel Messi was in scintillating form as he scored and set up another goal.

Messi’s 16th league goal of the season came in the sixth, curling in a shot with his left foot after Yaya Toure set him up from a corner.

In the 67th, Messi dribbled from the halfway line into the goalkeeper’s area before laying the ball on for Xavi Hernandez to score.

After Rafael Marquez was sent off for bringing down Kepa Blanco, Roberto Soldado scored for Getafe with an injury-time penalty.

“It was an unusual game, we were a man down from the first half onward,” said Barcelona’s Gabriel Milito. “But we’re happy with the result, despite the penalty at the end.”

Messi nearly scored again in the 16th when he managed to control the ball yet could manage only a weak shot.

Two minutes later he threatened again after swapping passes with Maxwell and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, although goalkeeper Jordi Codina got a foot to his strike.

With the goal lead and control of possession, Barcelona looked comfortable. However, the champions suffered a setback in the 25th when defender Gerard Pique was ejected for a late tackle on Getafe’s Rafael Lopez. Xavi Hernandez was booked for dissent after a lengthy protest by Barcelona’s players.

With Getafe seeing more of the ball, Nicolas “Miku” Ladislao drew two fine saves in a row from Victor Valdes.

Barcelona struck back when Ibrahimovic rounded Codina and his goalbound shot from a tight angle on the right was just intercepted by Lopez.

Early in the second half Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola bolstered the midfield to make up for the numerical disadvantage, replacing Ibrahimovic, who has not scored in the last five league games, with Sergio Busquets.

Seydou Keita should have scored soon after, shooting wide after he went through with only Codina to beat from close range.

At Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium, Ever Banega found space on the edge of the area and shot into the top left-hand corner in the eighth.

Banega was involved in the second goal, crossing to David Villa who found the net with a powerful header in the 30th.

Valencia always looked in control, with Jeremy Mathieu on the left flank unsettling the Valladolid defense early on. In the 17th, goalkeeper Justo Villar made a fine save from Juan Manuel Mata following a cross by the French defender. Mathieu then shot high a minute later.

Diego Costa was Valladolid’s biggest threat and he stole the ball in the 58th following a defensive mix-up from Valencia and goalkeeper Cesar Sanchez was forced to run out to block.

Four minutes later Villa nearly scored his second, striking the post from Mata’s pass.

On Sunday it’s: Athletic Bilbao vs. Xerez; Malaga vs. Deportivo La Coruna; Osasuna vs. Tenerife; Mallorca vs. Villarreal; Zaragoza vs. Sevilla; Almeria vs. Sporting Gijon; and Racing Santander vs. Atletico Madrid.