Negredo gives Sevilla 2-1 win at Zaragoza in Spain

Posted Monday, November 15, 2010 by YAHOO Sport

BARCELONA, Spain (AP)—Alvaro Negredo’s last-minute goal gave Sevilla a 2-1 win at Zaragoza, and Hercules rallied to beat Real Sociedad 2-1 in the Spanish league on Sunday.

With time expiring, substitute Negredo recovered the ball near midfield and dribbled to the edge of the area before slotting past goalkeeper Antonio Doblas as Sevilla improved to 20 points.

“The team was very ambitious and never gave the game up for lost,” Sevilla coach Gregorio Manzano said. “Everything looked to be against us, but we are very happy to take back the three points to Seville.”

David Trezeguet and Royston Drenthe scored second-half goals to give Hercules its first win in five weeks, and Malaga beat Levante 1-0 after a goal from Eliseu for its first home win.

Also Sunday, Racing Santander versus Espanyol and Mallorca versus Deportivo La Coruna ended in scoreless draws.

Later, Real Madrid visits Sporting Gijon with coach Jose Mourinho set to be in the stands to serve the first of a two-game suspension for insulting the referee midweek in the Copa del Rey win over Murcia.

Madrid must win to reclaim the leader’s spot after Barcelona beat third-place Villarreal 3-1 on Saturday to give the two-time defending Spanish champions 28 points, two more than their traditional rivals.

To close round 11, Valencia hosts Getafe in search of its first win in four weeks.

With the loss, Zaragoza fell to last place on seven points with its fans holding a banner that read: “For the lost dignity, Zaragoza deserves more.”

Sevilla was in control dueing the first half with Zaragoza stagnant in attack.

Sevilla’s opener came when Luis Fabiano used his speed to get behind the defense and blast in Frederic Kanoute’s perfectly timed pass from the right side of the penalty area in the 29th.

Nicolas Bertolo, who had come on at halftime, equalized for Zaragoza in the 53rd through a header off a corner by Gabriel Fernandez that Renato almost stopped.

Sevilla forward Luis Fabiano came close to making the winner with a chest pass to Renato in the 63rd, but the Brazilian fired just wide of the right post.

In the 72nd, Sevilla defender Fernando Navarro was shown a red card for pulling down Braulio Nobrega with only the goalkeeper to beat.

At Jose Rico Perez stadium, Hercules fell behind in the 16th when Antoine Griezman finished off the rebound from a shot by Carlos Martinez.

Minutes before the break, Sergio Rodriguez almost equalized for Hercules but sent his header high. Royston Drenthe then forced a save from goalkeeper Claudio Bravo.

David Trezeguet recorded his sixth goal of the season to level for Hercules in the 47th, and Drenthe scored his first goal for the club in the 52nd from a free kick that Bravo could do nothing to stop.

Manuel Pellegrini recorded his second win on the Malaga bench and his team rose out of the relegation zone with its first league victory at La Roselada.

Striker Felipe Caicedo fired a header just over the crossbar in a great chance for Levante to go ahead in the 24th.

Antonio “Apono” Galdeano’s 29th-minute shot was well saved by Levante goalkeeper Manuel Reina, while teammate Jesus Gamez hit the post before Eliseu drilled a 25-meter shot inside the left post in the 64th for the winner.