Soccer:Nine-man Real Madrid suffered another Primera Division title wobble at El Madrigal as Marcos Senna struck an 83rd-minute equaliser to grab a 1-1 draw for struggling Villarreal last night. Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring on 62 minutes for Jose Mourinho's men, who had seen their 11-match winning run in La Liga ended by a home draw with Malaga on Sunday.
But after Senna’s leveller the visitors imploded with Mourinho sent from the dugout and Sergio Ramos and Mesut Ozil both red carded as Madrid were forced to settle for limping six points clear of second-placed Barcelona.
Mourinho was dismissed for his reaction to the equaliser, Ramos for a second yellow card and Ozil for apparent dissent all in the space of three minutes.
Third-placed Valencia were stunned 2-1 at home by rock-bottom Real Zaragoza in a result made all the more remarkable by the fact the visitors were reduced to 10 men after 21 minutes by the sending-off of Pablo Alvarez.
Zaragoza already trailed to Pablo’s ninth-minute opener at that stage, but hopes of an easy night were shattered by a double from Apono on 30 and 78 minutes to win it for La Liga’s bottom side. Zaragoza finished the match with nine men following Franco Zuculini’s late dismissal.
Valencia’s shock loss allowed Levante to narrow the gap to just three points in fourth place with a 3-1 win at Real Sociedad. Carlos Vela put Sociedad in front after six minutes, but Jose Barkero’s 12th-minute penalty drew it level, Arouna Kone added a second on 45 and Xavi Torres completed Levante’s win in injury time.
Atletico Madrid leapfrogged Athletic Bilbao into seventh place with a 2-1 home win. Falcao got both goals for Atletico, with Javi Martinez replying in injury time for the visitors.
Sporting Gijon were beaten 3-2 at home by Real Mallorca. Jose Nunes put the visitors ahead on the half-hour but Adrian Colunga equalised to take the strugglers in level at half-time. An own goal from Pedro Orfila gifted Mallorca back the lead and although Alberto Botia equalised again in the 66th minute, Alvaro Gimenez won it for the visitors with a 77th minute strike.
