REAL Madrid clinched the Spanish championship for the second successive season with a dramatic 2-1 victory at Osasuna on Sunday night.
Facing a hostile 18,000 crowd waving Basque flags, Arjen Robben and substitute Gonzalo Higuain scored in the last three minutes as 10-man Madrid rallied to win for its record 31st Spanish league title at the Reyno de Navarro stadium in Pamplona.
Higuain chested down Sergio Ramos’ short pass to volley home from the right in the 89th minute. Two minutes earlier, Robben headed in a cross from Fernando Gago from the left to equalize.
Francisco Punal scored from the penalty spot in the 83rd to put the hosts in the lead after Madrid was reduced to 10 in the 46th following Fabio Cannavaro’s ejection.
“It looked like an American sports film in which you have to fight and suffer and we had a nice ending. We are champions,’’ coach Bernd Schuster said. “With one player less it was the moment where we were better. We deserved to win.’’
The defending champion now has 78 points — 10 more than second-place Villarreal — and can’t be caught with three games remaining.
Thousands of Madrid supporters were gathering at the traditional celebration point at Plaza Cibeles in the Spanish capital in anticipation of the Spanish champions’ return.
“This is a special moment; we have to enjoy it,’’ the German coach said. “But now we want to get back to Madrid to celebrate with our fans.’’
Punal took the penalty after Madrid defender Gabriel Heinze handled inside the area as he leapt to challenge a cross. Punal caught goalkeeper Iker Casillas going the wrong way with his shot into the bottom left of goal.
Cannavarro was sent off barely 20 seconds into the second half after picking up a second yellow card.
Madrid needed to win the match to earn its title because Villarreal defeated Getafe 2-0 earlier Sunday. Nihat Kahveci scored both goals.
Thierry Henry and Bojan Krkic scored two goals each as third-ranked FC Barcelona snapped a five-game winless streak with a 6-0 rout of Valencia.(SD-Agencies)
REAL Madrid clinched the Spanish championship for the second successive season with a dramatic 2-1 victory at Osasuna on Sunday night.
Facing a hostile 18,000 crowd waving Basque flags, Arjen Robben and substitute Gonzalo Higuain scored in the last three minutes as 10-man Madrid rallied to win for its record 31st Spanish league title at the Reyno de Navarro stadium in Pamplona.
Higuain chested down Sergio Ramos’ short pass to volley home from the right in the 89th minute. Two minutes earlier, Robben headed in a cross from Fernando Gago from the left to equalize.
Francisco Punal scored from the penalty spot in the 83rd to put the hosts in the lead after Madrid was reduced to 10 in the 46th following Fabio Cannavaro’s ejection.
“It looked like an American sports film in which you have to fight and suffer and we had a nice ending. We are champions,’’ coach Bernd Schuster said. “With one player less it was the moment where we were better. We deserved to win.’’
The defending champion now has 78 points — 10 more than second-place Villarreal — and can’t be caught with three games remaining.
Thousands of Madrid supporters were gathering at the traditional celebration point at Plaza Cibeles in the Spanish capital in anticipation of the Spanish champions’ return.
“This is a special moment; we have to enjoy it,’’ the German coach said. “But now we want to get back to Madrid to celebrate with our fans.’’
Punal took the penalty after Madrid defender Gabriel Heinze handled inside the area as he leapt to challenge a cross. Punal caught goalkeeper Iker Casillas going the wrong way with his shot into the bottom left of goal.
Cannavarro was sent off barely 20 seconds into the second half after picking up a second yellow card.
Madrid needed to win the match to earn its title because Villarreal defeated Getafe 2-0 earlier Sunday. Nihat Kahveci scored both goals.
Thierry Henry and Bojan Krkic scored two goals each as third-ranked FC Barcelona snapped a five-game winless streak with a 6-0 rout of Valencia.(SD-Agencies)
