Barcelona win as Beckham scores for Madrid
MADRID, Dec 9, 2006 (AFP) - Barcelona keeper Victor Valdes made a superb save in the dying seconds to preserve their 1-0 victory over lowly Real Sociedad on Saturday while Beckham scored a spectacular goal for Madrid. Real Sociedad managed to avoid conceding a goal in the first half, something only Valencia and Real Madrid have done this season against Spanish league leaders Barca.
However Eidur Gudjohnsen and Xavi had both found the net in the opening period but both goals had been ruled offside.
Sylvinho, Ronaldinho and Deco had been linking well throughout the match but were having trouble making an impact once inside Sociedad's area.
Ronaldinho scored on the hour however to earn the win and Barcelona held on with 10 men from the 84th minute after Sylvinho was sent off for two yellow cards in the space of 60 seconds, the first for time wasting and then for what looked like an innocuous offence.
Then came Valdes's superb save in the fifth-minute of injury time from Real Sociedad's Javier Garrido which ensured Barcelona's win. History had hardly been on Sociedad's side having once won three times at the Nou Camp stadium and not since 1991.
Barcelona travel to Japan on Sunday for the Club World Cup with the knowledge that they are still top in Spain.
The Catalonian club lead by two points from Sevilla who beat Barca's arch rivals Real Madrid 2-1 at home in Saturday's late match. Real are now four points behind the leaders.
The match started so promising for Real however after Beckham, making a rare league start because of the thigh injury to the preferred Jose Antonio Reyes, scored past Sevilla keeper Andres Palop with a freekick from the left in the 13th minute.
Palop came off his line thinking Beckham would float the ball across the area but could not backtrack in time to stop the ball finding the net just inside the far post.
Just four minutes later however the match was level after French striker Frederic Kanoute scored for Sevilla from close in.
Ronaldo, fed by Ruud van Nistelrooy was through on his own with only Palop to beat on the hour but the keeper did well to save at the Brazilian's feet.
With 20 minutes to go, Real boss Fabio Capello decided to try something different and brought on Robinho for Ronaldo.
However it was Sevilla who had the final say in the 77th minute when Chevanton scored from an overhead kick which someone of the stature of Ronaldinho would have been proud of.
TOTW/F/M Award(s): 2
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