26/10/2003
Deportivo beat Valencia to move top in Spain
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MADRID, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Deportivo Coruna carved out a 2-1 win at home
to Valencia on Saturday to bring an end to the last unbeaten record in the
Primera Liga and replace the 2002 champions at the top of the table.
Reigning champions Real Madrid took advantage of Valencia's defeat to move
up to second, a classy Zinedine Zidane volley and two late goals from Raul
earning them a 3-1 home win over Racing Santander despite a generally
unimpressive performance.
With eight games played, Deportivo lead the standings with 21 points,
followed by Real Madrid and Valencia on 19.
While Real produced only flashes of their best form against Racing at a
rainswept Bernabeu, Deportivo clinched victory over Valencia with arguably
their best performance of the season.
Juan Carlos Valeron hooked in their opener from close range after 14
minutes -- the first goal Valencia had conceded in the league since their
opening-day 1-1 draw against Valladolid.
Valencia hit back with a Mista strike after 74 minutes, the former Real
Madrid B forward converting a David Albelda cross, but Diego Tristan
crashed in a free kick five minutes later to give Deportivo the points.
Real Madrid, missing injured England captain David Beckham, were second
best to Racing for all but the final quarter-hour, when the visitors ran
out of steam.
"You have to know how to suffer in order to win," said relieved Real coach
Carlos Queiroz.
"We played with intelligence, patience and a lot of sacrifice."
DARING RACING
Most teams this season have come to the Bernabeu with a damage limitation
exercise in mind but Racing took the game to Real from the start.
With Fernando Moran, Rodolfo Bodipo and Yossi Benayoun in eye-catching
form, Racing carved the Real defence apart repeatedly, only for poor
finishing to let them down.
Their goal came just past the quarter-hour when Moran ran with the ball
across the front of the Real area and picked out Benayoun in the centre
who turned and fired past Iker Casillas.
A Casillas flap from a corner almost led to a second Racing goal but the
Real defence scrambled the ball clear.
Racing passed the ball better than their illustrious opponents and created
a string of chances but they failed to extend their lead and paid the
price in the 27th when Zidane produced a precise volley from Ronaldo's
cross.
Real only threatened to take the lead with a couple of free kicks before
Raul's tap-in in the 78th minute made it 2-1.
Racing pressed forward for an equaliser only to be hit again late on, with
Raul turning in after Santiago Solari's shot had been deflected.
By Kevin Fylan