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Eto'o strikes late for Barca, Real win as well
Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o atoned for missing an early penalty by grabbing a late winner to give his side an agonising 1-0 win over 10-man Real Sociedad at the Nou Camp on Sunday.
Real Madrid also had to dig deep to come from a goal down to win 3-1 at home to 10-man Real Zaragoza in Sunday's late match. The results meant that Barcelona preserved their seven-point lead over Real in the standings at the half-way point in the season. Barca have 45 points from 19 games, Real have 38 and Valencia, who were held to a 0-0 draw at Osasuna, are two behind on 36. Valencia gave a subdued performance in a match overshadowed by the news of the sudden death of the young daughter of Valencia defender Marco Caneira shortly before the kickoff. Zaragoza stunned the home fans at the Bernabeu when striker David Villa put them ahead with a brilliant virtuoso goal midway through the first half. But Real equalised three minutes before the break when Raul scooped the ball over the keeper after Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo had combined to slice open the Zaragoza defence.
DOUBLE SETBACK Zaragoza suffered a double setback at the start of the second half, losing centre-back Alvaro after he picked up a needless second booking for a foul on the halfway line and then going 2-1 down when Ronaldo headed in at the far post after a Luis Figo shot fell into his path. The visitors were left seething, however, because Figo had appeared to receive the ball in an offside position and they were then denied a penalty after defender Michel Salgado had hauled Villa down in the area. But they had nothing to complain when substitute Michael Owen completed the Real victory with a fine strike five minutes from time, the England striker threading a shot between two defenders, out of reach of the keeper and inside the far post. Barcelona, who suffered only their second defeat of the season when they went down at Villarreal last week, were gifted a great chance to take the lead when they were awarded a dubious penalty in the fourth minute after midfielder Andres Iniesta went down in the area. But Eto'o fired his spot kick against the post and the Catalans, who were missing influential Portugal midfielder Deco, grew increasingly frustrated as they were unable to break down the crowded Sociedad defence. The Basque side sat back and defended for most of the first half but almost snatched the lead when striker Darko Kovacevic unleashed a viciously dipping shot from the edge of the area only to see it tipped over the bar by Valdes. Sociedad's attacking options were further reduced when midfielder Xabi Prieto was sent off after picking up a second card for hauling back Silvinho just after the hour. Barca laid siege to the Sociedad area but only managed to break the deadlock when Eto'o headed in after Xavi's corner in the 81st minute to take his tally for the season to 14.
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