Ozil and Benzema settle Madrid derby
Reuters - Saturday 19 March 2011, 23:42
MADRID - Real Madrid stayed hard on the
heels of leaders Barcelona when in-form striker Karim Benzema
scored to set them on their way to a 2-1 win at battling city
rivals Atletico in La Liga on Saturday.
Barca earlier beat Getafe by the same score thanks to a Dani
Alves screamer and Bojan Krkic strike that put them eight points
clear before Mesut Ozil added to Benzema's 11th-minute effort to
trim the gap back to five with nine games remaining
Barcelona have 78 points from 29 matches with Real on 73.
Benzema initially struggled to win over Real coach Jose
Mourinho but has been in a purple patch of form in recent weeks
after his promotion to replace injured first-choice striker
Gonzalo Higuain.
The France international's neat chip over Atletico
goalkeeper David de Gea to open the scoring at the Calderon was
his eighth in five matches in all competitions.
Atletico piled the pressure on the visitors after falling
behind and Real had Spain's World Cup-winning goalkeeper Iker
Casillas to thank for a string of saves that denied Sergio
Aguero and Jose Antonio Reyes.
German international Ozil doubled Real's lead when he
stroked Marcelo's low cross high past De Gea from the edge of
the penalty area in the 33rd minute.
Argentina forward Aguero finally beat Casillas with a low
shot four minutes from time to set up a nervous finale for Real
but the hosts were unable to make their late pressure count.
EUROPEAN BLOW
Europa League champions Atletico have not beaten Real since
a 3-1 success at the Bernabeu in October 1999 and their latest
defeat, which left them in eighth on 39 points, was a blow to
their hopes of playing in Europe again next season.
"One day they have to beat us," Casillas said in a
television interview. "Today they pressed hard and maybe the
result was unjust.
"Benzema is on a run and we have to make the most of it. He
has made a radical change and we are very happy," he added.
Brazilian right-back Alves scored one of the goals of the
season to put Barca in the driving seat at the Nou Camp.
A headed clearance looped into his path in the 17th minute
and he caught the falling ball perfectly on the half-volley to
send it fizzing past Getafe keeper Jordi Codina from 25 metres.
Krkic added a second with a deflected shot five minutes
after halftime before Manu del Moral netted a fine volley in the
88th minute for the mid-table visitors to set Barca's nerves
jangling in the final moments.
"More than the great goal I prefer to focus on the work of
the team and above all the victory," Alves said. "We got a very
important win against a very well-organised team," he added in a
television interview.
EMOTIONAL NOU CAMP
There was an emotional atmosphere at Barca's vast stadium as
the local fans paid tribute before kick-off to defender Eric
Abidal, who had an operation on a liver tumour on Thursday.
Players from both teams wore T-shirts with a message of
support for the France international as they walked out on to
the pitch and there was an ovation for Abidal in the 22nd minute
corresponding to his shirt number.
"It has been a long week but we responded very well," Barca
coach Pep Guardiola said at a news conference. "There was no
sign of apathy or poor play."
Spain's dominant two clubs could clash four times in the
coming weeks as they are due to meet in the league next month,
play the final of the King's Cup three days later and are on
course to meet in the Champions League semi-finals.
In the earlier kick-off, Jonathan de Guzman lashed in a
free-kick to give Real Mallorca a 1-0 home win over 10-man Real
Zaragoza and lift Michael Laudrup's side to ninth on 38 points.
Zaragoza, who are only four points above the relegation
zone, had goalkeeper Toni Doblas sent off in the 64th minute for
handling the ball outside his area.
They almost snatched a point when Braulio curled a shot
against the crossbar in the second minute of added time.