Brilliant Barça turn up title heat

Brilliant Barça turn up title heat

FC Barcelona moved four points clear at the top of the Primera División after a Ronaldinho-inspired 2-0 win against Real Sociedad de Fútbol on Saturday night while, later in the evening, Valencia CF also managed an away victory at RC Deportivo la Coruña.

Iniesta opener

Lying second from bottom in the Spanish top-flight Real Sociedad were determined to thwart their illustrious visitors and they managed to keep them at bay throughout the first half. However, the European champions took the lead within a minute of the restart when Ronaldinho, who had earlier set up Xavi for a chance that was tipped over by goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, threaded a delightful low ball into the path of Andrés Iniesta, who rounded goalkeeper before sliding the ball in.

Ronaldinho magic

Messi twice came close to adding to the score after cutting in from the right and shooting narrowly wide of the far post, while at the other end, Savio Bortolini raced away from Edmílson on 54 minutes before firing a low, angled strike into the side-netting. But Barcelona, inspired by the creativity and vision of the deep-lying Ronaldinho, were irresistible and, after Samuel Eto'o's strike was superbly blocked by Bravo (55), Eto’o made no mistake three minutes from time when he raced on to another throughball from Barça's No10 before curling his shot past Bravo. The win puts Frank Rijkaard's side four points clear of Sevilla FC, who play third-placed Real Madrid CF on Sunday.

Valencia victory

Valencia moved to within a point of Real Madrid with a 2-1 win at the Riazor. The visitors took the lead through Hugo Viana seven minutes before half-time when the Portuguese midfielder fired left-footed through a crowded penalty area. Deportivo La Coruña equalised midway through the second half when Sebastián Taborda came off the bench to scramble the ball over the line with his first touch, but Valencia responded in style five minutes later. David Villa used his pace to run at the home side’s rearguard, played Miguel Ángel Angulo in down the right and the winger's clever cut-back was side-footed in by David Silva.
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