An own goal by defender Pepe consigned Real Madrid to a 1-0 defeat at Deportivo La Coruna to extend the Spanish champion's wretched record at the Riazor Stadium.
Real turned up on the north west coast seeking to end a winless run there stretching back to the 1991-1992 season.
But the Madrid giants will have to wait another season to halt the run after an insipid encounter burst into life in the 58th minute when Deportivo's Felipe beat off Real defender Miguel Torres on the left.
The Brazilian's goalbound shot then took a deflection off fellow Brazilian Pepe's outstretched leg wrong-footing keeper Iker Casillas.
Deportivo were well worth their three points against a Real Madrid side sorely missing Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Meanwhile, Saturday's game between Real Betis and Athletic Bilbao was cut short in the 72nd minute by the referee after Athletic's keeper Armando was struck by a bottle of water thrown from the stands.
He had to leave the pitch on a stretcher. Athletic were leading 2-1 at the time the encounter at the Manuel Ruiz ground was stopped.
"Armando suffered a blow to the right eye and has bruising and a cut in the same area. He has had stitches," read a statement on the club's official Web site.
Elsewhere Recreativo Huelva prevailed 4-2 over Real Murcia with Florent Sinama-Pongolle getting a double for Recreativo.
Saturday's late kick-off saw a 2-1 win for Sevilla, who have turned the corner after a poor start to the season to put themselves back in contention for Champions League football next term.
Two goals by Luis Fabiano pushed Sevilla up to fourth with Valencia treading water in 10th.
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Roger Federer on Wednesday said that staying involved with tennis in retirement helped him avoid feeling “like an alien” ahead of this week’s Laver Cup in Berlin. Federer, who helped create the tournament, retired at the Laver Cup in London two years ago and has since stayed involved with the competition as an ambassador. “I’m happy I went back right away to some tournaments,” the 43-year-old told reporters. “I feel I ripped the Band-Aid off quite quickly and when I walk around the tennis sites I still feel I belong there,” he said. “I don’t feel like an alien, which is a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two