Real Madrid bounced back from their Champions League heartbreak by crushing 10-man Athletic Bilbao 5-2 on Saturday to cut Barcelona’s lead in Spain to just three points.
Real saw their Champions League dreams disappear on Tuesday at Anfield as Liverpool overran them in a 4-0 win and they let out their frustration at San Mames.
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored twice to turn the game in Real’s favor after Bilbao had come from two goals down to level.
PHOTO: AP
Arjen Robben put Real ahead before Gabriel Heinze added another in the 34th minute.
Heinze scored an own goal minutes later and Fernando Llorente levelled despite Bilbao being reduced to 10 men with Francisco Yeste harshly sent off for pushing goalkeeper Iker Casillas.
Huntelaar then took center stage with a second half brace before substitute Gonzalo Higuain completed the scoring.
Robben shot Real into a 22nd minute lead showing a terrific burst of speed to get behind the Bilbao defense before scoring.
Heinze headed Real 2-0 up after 33 minutes but his joy was shortlived as he scored an own goal three minutes later.
Moments later, Yeste was red-carded for pushing over Casillas.
Llorente equalized close to half-time for Bilbao before Huntelaar killed them off.
Earlier, a goal from Pablo Hernandez earned Valencia a 1-1 draw against Recreativo Huelva.
Valencia fell behind to a Javier Camunas goal in the 54th minute and then had Carlos Marchena sent off for two bookable offences.
However, Hernandez netted an 82nd minute equalizer with a delightful chip to salvage a point at the Mestalla Stadium.
Inter on Sunday were given a letoff when they snatched a late 1-1 derby draw with AC Milan, while league leaders SSC Napoli were held by a late goal at AS Roma. Reigning champions Inter remain three points behind Napoli, who looked to be heading five clear as they led in Rome until Angelino volleyed in a stunning leveler in the first minute of stoppage-time. Angelino’s strike gave even more significance to Stefan de Vrij’s last-gasp equalizer at the San Siro. The defender forced home Nicola Zalewski’s knockdown just as it looked like Tijjani Reijnders’ opener would be enough for Milan. “I can
The Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets on Saturday did not disappoint in a thrilling midseason matchup in front of a fired-up sellout crowd of more than 18,500 fans. The top two teams in the NHL delivered with a combined nine goals, including the 877th of Alex Ovechkin’s career to put him 18 back of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record. That tied the score, the Jets pulled it out in overtime and just about everyone involved got their money’s worth out of the 5-4 game. “We knew how we were both sitting in the standings and both having real good years,” Winnipeg coach Scott
BACK-TO-BACK: The League One club, which is owned by stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, is sparing no expense to clinch promotion to the Championship Hollywood endings are pricey, even in England’s third division. In pursuit of their third straight promotion, Wrexham AFC splashed some cash at League One rival Reading to secure the services of striker Sam Smith. The Welsh club owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney confirmed the signing of the 26-year-old Smith on Friday. He is one of the top scorers in the third division. The transfer fee was not disclosed, but British media widely reported it to be about £2 million (US$2.48 million) — not extravagant, but a hefty price at this level and it would be about the same figure that
Less than a week after splashing out a world-record fee for Naomi Girma, Chelsea has spent big again to bring England midfielder Keira Walsh back to the English Women’s Super League. Walsh left European champions Barcelona after more than two years to join Chelsea for a reported £400,000 (US$496,000) on Friday. Walsh was the world’s most expensive player for two years after moving to Barcelona from Manchester City for a reported £400,000 in 2022. That status now belongs to Girma, the US defender who cost Chelsea a reported £900,000 to sign from the San Diego Wave. Still, it means 27-year-old Walsh — a technically