Nine-man Madrid stumble at Villarreal
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E-mail Xinhua, March 22, 2012
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Real Madrid players react after drawing 1-1 with Villarreal during their La Liga soccer match at Madrigal stadium in Villarreal, Spain, Wednesday, March 21, 2012. |
Real Madrid's lead at the top of the BBVA Primera Liga was reduced to six points as they were held to a 1-1 draw in Villarreal's El Madrigal Stadium on Wednesday night.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcos Senna scored the goals in a controversial game which Madrid ended with nine men on the pitch and in which coach Jose Mourinho as also sent off.
Real Madrid kicked off with their lead at the top of the table reduced to just five points following FC Barcelona's 5-3 win at home to Granada on Tuesday night, while Miguel Angel Lotina made his debut in the Villarreal dugout following Jose Molina's sacking on Sunday night.
With Villarreal needing the points to climb away from the danger zone and clearly motivated by the arrival of the new coach, it was an exciting first half with chances at both ends.
Pepe had two good chances with headers for Madrid, while Nilmar saw a chance blocked by Iker Casillas, who stood up well to the Villarreal forward and Marcos Senna also fired wide for the home team.
Madrid coach Mourinho reacted by replacing central midfielder Lassana Diarra with winger Jose Callejon, but his side could not control the game and Villarreal should have had two penalties, both of them for clear shirt pulling from Madrid defender Alvaro Arbeloa, before Karim Benzema ended the half by shooting into the Villarreal side netting.
The start of the second half was a scrappy affair with the referee Parados Romero struggling to keep control and sending off one of Madrid's coaches, Rui Faria from the dugout.
Chances were few and far between, although Xabi Alonso sent a free kick over the crossbar before Ronaldo opened the scoring on 62nd minutes. The striker took a flick from Mesut Ozil, broke through the defense and slipped the ball into the net after rounding Diego Lopez.
Khedira saw a volley cleared off the line following a Madrid corner before Senna levelled with a fine free kick with seven minutes remaining. There was controversy about this decision as well as Hamit Altintop had looked to have won the ball in the challenge which was penalized.
Mourinho was sent off for his complaints and he was soon followed into the dressing room by Ramos, who saw a second yellow card for a bad foul and Ozil, who was shown a direct red for complaining.
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