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Samuel Eto'o goal helps Barcelona maintain lead

Barcelona players congratulate Samuel Eto'o, center, after he scored against Levante at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, on Sunday. PHOTO: EPA

Barcelona maintained their slender one-point lead of the Spanish first division thanks to a Samuel Eto'o goal in their 1-0 victory over Levante, as the top three teams in Spain all won.

Second-placed Sevilla triumphed 3-1 over Espanyol while Real Madrid remain one point and one place further back after their 4-1 thrashing of struggling Athletic Bilbao.

The three-way race for the title with six games to go is the tightest for five years.

Reigning champions Barcelona were on top from the outset against Levante, dominating down the flanks thanks to Argentine wonderkid Lionel Messi, but it took 27 minutes for them to find the net.

Eto'o hammered the ball home from the edge of the area for his ninth goal of the season after Levante goalkeeper Jose Francisco Molina only managed to palm away a Xavi Hernandez volley.

Eto'o then fluffed two superb chances in the first 15 minutes of the second half while Molina had a superb game and denied not only last season's top scorer in the Spanish first division but also superstar Ronaldinho.

"We had plenty of possession of the ball and also plenty of opportunities despite the scoreline only saying 1-0 but failing to make the most of your opportunities is also part of football," Barca coach Frank Rijkaard reflected.

Sevilla had taken over temporarily at the top after beating fellow UEFA Cup semi-finalists Espanyol earlier on Sunday.

"In the first half we played well but couldn't score but a little more space opened up for us in the second half. The only negative note was the way we conceded the goal," Sevilla coach Juande Ramos said.

Two goals in as many minutes from Antonio Puerta and Ernesto Chevanton early in the second half seemed to put Sevilla well in control in what could be a rehearsal for the UEFA Cup final on May 16.
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