Murcia holds Madrid to 0-0 draw in Copa del Rey
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Third-tied Murcia held Spanish leader Real Madrid to an embarrassing 0-0 draw while Barcelona started with a win yesterday as topflight clubs entered the fourth round of the Copa del Rey.
Murcia goalkeeper Dani Hernandez made second-half saves to deny Cristiano Ronaldo, Pedro Leon and substitute Angel Di Maria to keep Madrid from taking the lead in the first leg match.
Madrid controlled the game at the Nueva Condomina stadium as it was determined not to repeat last year's 4-0 first leg defeat to minnow Alcorcon at the same stage. Third-tier clubs have eliminated Madrid in the fourth round the past two seasons.
Madrid, a 17-time winner of the domestic cup competition, hasn't won it since 1993.
"It's not the result we wanted because we always want to win. But with this same attitude the return leg won't be a problem," Madrid coach Jose Mourinho said. "We'll definitely win and go through."
Meanwhile, record 25-time champion Barcelona fielded a largely reserve side and still earned an easy 2-0 win at Ceuta.
Not one of its six players shortlisted for the FIFA Ballon d'Or world player of the year award were in Barcelona's starting lineup on the North African enclave. Barcelona's squad arrived by helicopter earlier in the day.
The Spanish champion looked like scoring right from the start and Maxwell duly found the net with a left-footed shot past 'keeper Cecilio Nauzet in the 16th minute.
Nine minutes later, Thiago missed Maxwell's centering cross but Pedro was there at far post to guide the ball in.
Barcelona peppered Ceuta's goal throughout the match, with Bojan Krkic hitting the crossbar and then being denied by Nauzet in the second half.
Murcia is coached by the same Inaki Alonso who guided lower-tier Real Union to a win over Madrid two seasons ago.
Alonso's team had no real scoring opportunities but held firm in defense as Madrid controlled possession and the chances, starting Ronaldo's testing shot in the seventh minute.
Madrid coach Jose Mourinho mixed regulars with the team's fringe players and they responded with some good efforts early on as Sergio Canales shot over in the 10th minute and Esteban Granero hit the crossbar in the 30th.
Raul Albiol - playing for the first time this season after injury - volleyed a clear chance over the bar at the end of the first half.
Karim Benzema, meanwhile, failed to make an impact. Mourinho had seen enough by the 63rd minute and replaced the France striker with Gonzalo Higuain.
Ronaldo shrugged off the lasers being pointed into his face in the 70th to hit a powerful free kick that Hernandez dived to save. The Murcia 'keeper quickly recovered to deny Pedro Leon - who had chances throughout the match - on the rebound.
Di Maria forced Hernandez into another stop soon after replacing Ronaldo. The Argentina forward unleashed a hard shot four minutes later that Hernandez smothered.
"I'm happy with the team's play. In general, the attitude was pretty good," Mourinho said. "I reserve my criticism for those who don't play seriously, that don't give their all. But that wasn't the case (tonight)."
Murcia managed to create some danger in the 90th with a free kick inside Madrid's half but it failed to test Casillas once.
"It's still open," said Murcia's Miguel Albiol, brother of the Madrid defender.
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