Real Madrid 1-1 Atletico Madrid
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Real Madrid's title hopes suffered a major blow after they were held 1-1 at home by local arch rivals Atletico Madrid.
A week after denting Barcelona's title charge with a 4-3 victory over the pacesetters, Atletico should have recorded their first win over Real in a decade after creating much the better of the chances at the Bernabeu.
However, a mixture of fine goalkeeping by Iker Casillas, the woodwork and poor finishing allowed Real to avoid defeat in an entertaining encounter.
That will be of scant consolation to Juande Ramos' side though, who now trail Barca by six points after the Catalan giants downed Athletic Bilbao 2-0 at the Nou Camp.
It started off promisingly enough for Real with Arjen Robben capitalising on a mistake from Diego Forlan to bring a good save out of Leo Franco, who then did well to block Raul's follow up.
That was in the 12th minute, and 10 minutes later Robben again tested Leo Franco with a shot from the edge of the box, although the Dutchman may have been better suited passing to the unmarked Marcelo instead.
Marcelo, again appearing to enjoy his more advanced role on the left of midfield, then brought a flying save out of the Atletico goalkeeper with a 25-yard shot as Real - looking to make it 11 league wins on the trot - continued to look the more threatening.
Atletico had largely been content to soak up the pressure until that point and try and hit their hosts on the break, and that tactic earned the Rojiblancos a shock lead in the 38th minute.
The visitors had already given Real a scare two minutes earlier when Maxi Rodriguez put Sergio Aguero clean through and only a fine stop by Casillas denied the Argentinian, but Ramos' side were not so fortunate the second time.
Real had committed too many players forward in one attack and Atletico suddenly found themselves with a three-on-one breakaway when Aguero picked up possession near the halfway line.
He powered towards the edge of the Real area before slipping the ball inside to unmarked strike partner Forlan, who coolly dispatched his shot past Casillas and into the corner of the net.
That stunned the Bernabeu into silence and, with Barca enjoying a 2-0 lead against Athletic, it was not looking good for Real at half-time.
Ramos decided against making any substitutions at the break, but he waited just 11 minutes to ring the changes - and it proved to be a masterstroke.
Gonzalo Higuain, Real's joint-leading scorer alongside Raul this season, started on the bench with Ramos presumably having one eye on the upcoming Champions League game against Liverpool, but the arrival of the Argentinian reaped immediate dividends.
He threaded a superb pass into Klaas Jan Huntelaar, who held off his marker before firing an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net from 15 yards out.
That goal should have been the cue for Real to take charge of the game, but the reigning champions almost found themselves trailing again inside two minutes.
Aguero fed Forlan just outside the box and the Uruguayan, after progressing into the area, drilled a left-footed shot against the base of the near post with Casillas beaten.
After a slow start the derby was now well and truly alive and Atletico should really have re-taken the lead after creating two gilt-edged chances midway through the second period.
The first saw substitute Florent Sinama Pongolle scuff a shot wide when a goal looked a certainty, while soon after Aguero curled an effort past the far post following a mistake by Real midfielder Fernando Gago.
Incredibly, the Rojiblancos then fashioned two more openings in quick succession, and again squandered them both.
Aguero was again the man involved, firing one chance across the face of goal before then being denied by Casillas' outstretched left foot after spinning off Sergio Ramos on the edge of the box.
Real rode their luck but they were unable to capitalise on that at the other end, as aside from a Raul overhead kick they rarely looked like making the breakthrough for a late winner.
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