Real held but Sevilla stumbles

Source: Agencies  |   2008-11-4  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

CHAMPION Real Madrid was held to a 1-1 draw at Almeria on Sunday, missing its chance to draw level on points with leader Barcelona, while Sevilla threw away a two-goal lead to lose 2-3 at Real Valladolid.

Real looked to be closing in on a third successive Primera Liga win after Raul met Gonzalo Higuain's cross with a diving header shortly before halftime that flew into the net past Almeria keeper Diego Alves.

But with just under 10 minutes remaining, Pablo Piatti beat defender Gabriel Heinze to Albert Crusat's cross and volleyed superbly past Iker Casillas from close range.

The result completed a frustrating week for Real after it lost 2-3 to Segunda B (third tier) side Real Union in the first leg of their last-32 Copa del Rey tie last Thursday.

With nine matches played, Barcelona tops the league with 22 points, with Real in third on 20. Undefeated Villarreal is second on 21 after its 4-1 win at Athletic Bilbao on Saturday, the same score by which Barcelona won in Malaga.

Early pacesetter Valencia suffered its first loss of the season on Saturday, losing 2-4 at home to Racing Santander, and slipped to fourth on 20.

In Almeria, Real coach Bernd Schuster was forced to replace central defender Pepe with a nervous-looking Christoph Metzelder early in the second period after the Portuguese international sustained a knock on the thigh.

Schuster also withdrew midfielder Wesley Sneijder and Higuain before the end, perhaps mindful of Real's Champions League match against Juventus at the Bernabeu tomorrow.

"We are content with the draw but also have the feeling that we threw away two points," Schuster said.

Earlier, 10-man Sevilla suffered a second defeat in a row that leaves it stuck on 17 points in fifth place.

The Andalusians had been 2-0 up inside half an hour as Jesus Navas first set up Renato to tap into an empty net and then fired in an acrobatic volley.