Late Racing leveller thwarts Valencia
Reuters - Sunday 29 January 2012, 22:54
Aritz Aduriz came off the
bench to score twice for third-placed Valencia who were denied
victory by a late equaliser in a 2-2 draw at Racing Santander in
La Liga on Sunday.
Adrian Gonzalez had given Racing a second-minute lead at the
Sardinero but the introduction of striker Aduriz in the 63rd
turned the game for the visitors.
The substitute volleyed in from a corner four minutes later
and poached a second goal with an opportunist header before
Bernardo rose to head Zaragoza level two minutes from time.
Tempers boiled over at the end with the hosts having Pedro
Munitis sent off while Ricardo Costa was dismissed for Valencia
who finished with nine on the pitch as Mehmet Topal left with a
head injury after all their substitutes had been used.
Valencia have 36 points from 20 games, nine behind
second-placed Barcelona who they host in a King's Cup semi-final
first leg on Wednesday.
Levante, fourth with 31 points, lost 2-1 at home to Getafe.
Former Spain striker Dani Guiza opened the scoring for the
visitors with a lucky rebound and Diego Castro doubled their
lead on a breakaway in the 83rd. Ruben Suarez pulled one back
for the hosts from the penalty spot at the end.
They retain the last Champions League qualification berth on
goal difference from Espanyol in fifth.
FEISTY DERBY
Qatari-owned Malaga climbed to seventh on 28 points with a
typically feisty 2-1 home win over regional rivals Sevilla,
their first in La Liga since November.
All the goals came in the first 20 minutes, with Weligton
and Sebastian Fernandez giving the hosts the lead either side of
Antonio Luna's reply for Sevilla, and they held on despite
losing Isco to a red card in the bad-tempered closing stages.
The win had normally placid coach Manuel Pellegrini punching
the air at the final whistle as the Rosaleda breathed a
collective sigh of relief.
New Granada coach Abel Resino made a good start as his side
won 2-1 in another Andalucian derby at Real Betis in the midday
kick-off.
First-half goals from Nigerian striker Ighalo and Portuguese
midfielder Carlos Martins helped drag the promoted side out of
the bottom three up to 16th with 22 points.
They are ahead of Racing on 21, Villarreal with 20, Sporting
Gijon who have 18 and basement side Real Zaragoza on 12.
Sporting were hammered 5-1 at mid-table Real Sociedad after
David Zurutuza scored twice in the first four minutes before
having to be substituted after a clash of heads in the seventh.
He was taken to hospital for surgery on a broken nose.
The Basques wrapped up the win with three more goals in the
last 14 minutes.