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Madrid. An injury-time winner by Rafael Van der Vaart gave Real Madrid a 3-2 win against Sevilla and the lead in the Spanish league on Saturday after 10-man Barcelona drew 2-2 with Almeria.

A Xabi Alonso own-goal gave Sevilla the lead in the ninth minute at Bernabeu Stadium. Ivica Dragutinovic scored the visitors’ second in the 52nd, Cristiano Ronaldo cut the deficit in the 60th and Sergio Ramos equalized in the 64th.

Madrid and Barcelona both have 62 points after 25 games, with the former ahead on goal difference. Valencia is third on 46 points and Sevilla fourth on 44.

Earlier, Deportivo La Coruna came from behind to beat Tenerife 3-1 for fifth place.

Sevilla attacked Madrid down the wings early on, with Diego Perotti, Jesus Navas and Diego Capel unsettling the home defense.

Guti and Van der Vaart went on for Alvaro Arbeloa and Lassana Diarra early in the second half as Madrid looked for more attacking options. The change nearly paid off as Guti struck the crossbar before Ramos leveled.

Guti was at the heart of most of Madrid’s attacks and he put Higuain through on goal in the 73rd, although the striker hit the crossbar. Raul Gonzalez went on for Kaka in the 75th as Madrid poured forward until Van der Vaart found the net with seconds to spare.

At Almeria’s Juegos Mediterraneos Stadium, Domingo Cisma jumped above Carles Puyol to head home in the 12th minute, then Lionel Messi equalized in the 42nd, fooling goalkeeper Diego Alves with a curling free kick.

Puyol was at fault again in the 57th when he stretched to intercept the ball and tapped into his own net, but Messi leveled for a second time.

“We played well, but the result is a shame,” Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes said. “These are important points that have gotten away from us.”

The start was delayed for 10 minutes after the home players were told regulations prohibited them from wearing the slogan “Fuerza Chile” on their shirts, a tribute to victims of the country’s earthquake. However, they were eventually allowed to wear the message of support.

Referee Clos Gomez expelled Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola from the dugout in the first half for protesting a decision. The Barcelona players were then outraged when Zlatan Ibrahimovic was sent off on the hour after an altercation with Cisma.

At La Coruna’s Riazor Stadium, Juan Luis Hens put Tenerife ahead in the 17th, controlling a pass from Pablo Sicilia with his first touch before shooting past goalkeeper Daniel Aranzubia.

Juan Rodriguez headed in midfielder Andres Guardado’s cross in the 33rd to equalize.

Guardado then scored himself early in the second half with a long-range strike, then Diego Colotto hit in a low shot from the edge of the area in the 67th.

In a game with few scoring chances, Aranzubia made a superb save to deny Tenerife’s Juan Francisco “Nino” Martinez from close range in the 41st.

 

Associated Press