Date:15/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/15/stories/2008121550971700.htm

Sport - Football

Late Barca show leaves Real’s title bid in tatters

MADRID: Late goals from Samuel Eto’o and Lionel Messi helped Barcelona defeat Real Madrid 2-0 in ‘El Clasico’ at a rain-soaked Camp Nou on Saturday to move 12 points clear of its rivals in the title race of the Spanish league football.

Meanwhile in the Italian Serie ‘A,’ Napoli moved to the joint second spot following a 3-0 home romp against Lecce to go level on points with Juventus and AC Milan.

In Spain, former Real old boy Eto’o had seen Iker Casillas save his penalty in 70th minute, but picked himself up to break the deadlock seven minutes from time and Messi produced a delicate chip in stoppage time to spark wild celebrations.

It was Barca’s first win over Real since November 2005

Early strike

In Italy, Napoli, whose only two Scudettos came in the halcyon days of Diego Maradona in 1987 and 1990, bolstered its dream of having a say in this season’s title race with an early Marek Hamsik penalty before Michele Pazienza made it 2-0.

Saturday’s results: Spanish league: Valencia 2 (Albiol 58, Vicente 81) bt Espanyol 1 (Roman Martinez 28); Barcelona 2 (Eto’o 83, Messi 91) bt Real Madrid 0. Italian Serie ‘A’: Napoli 3 (Hamsik 11-pen, Pazienza 42, Denis 65) bt Lecce 0; Bologna 5 (Volpi 48, Di Vaio 55, 62, 79-pen, Bernacci 68-pen) bt Torino 2 (Barone 7, Abate 53). — Agencies