Ronaldo equaliser keeps Madrid’s title hopes alive

Andy West 09:07 05/05/2014
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  • Off target: Ronaldo missed a number of good opportunities before a brilliant late leveller.

    At the end of an incredible weekend in La Liga, a last-minute equaliser from Cristiano Ronaldo saw Real Madrid scrape a 2-2 draw against Valencia which handed the title momentum back to Atletico Madrid.

    Following Barcelona’s draw with Getafe on Saturday and Atletico’s shock 2-0 loss at Levante earlier on Sunday, Carlo Ancelotti’s team had a wonderful opportunity to cut the gap to leaders Atletico to just three points.

    But Valencia showed great resolve to deny them, coming close to a famous victory after strikes from Jeremy Mathieu and Dani Parejo were cancelled out by Sergio Ramos and Ronaldo.

    At the end of it all, Atletico are left needing four points from their remaining two games at home to Malaga and away to Barcelona to secure the championship.

    Madrid could have taken an early lead when Ronaldo burst into the box to force a good low save from Diego Alves, before Karim Benzema headed narrowly wide from Gareth Bale’s right-wing cross.

    Despite dominating possession and looking confident, Los Blancos should have fallen behind with Valencia’s first truly menacing attack, as Sofiane Feghouli escaped down the right wing and delivered a perfect cross to the onrushing Parejo, whose header was superbly tipped onto the bar by Diego Lopez.

    After their early burst, Madrid had lost some intensity and their attacks were increasingly restricted until Benzema released Ronaldo inside the area, but Alves again came to Valencia’s rescue with a good save at his near post.

    Ronaldo had a header tipped over the bar from a corner and Bale sent a curling shot well wide, but Valencia were settling into the game and showing signs of being able to punish Madrid on the break.

    After another Ronaldo attempt was clawed away by Alves, one of Valencia’s increasingly dangerous attacks resulted in the skilful Feghouli bringing a brilliant save from Lopez with a rising drive.

    From the resulting corner, Parejo’s delivery was allowed to travel to the edge of the six-yard box, where Mathieu held off the attentions of Raphael Varane to nod home and stun the Bernabeu.

    The half-time introduction of Angel Di Maria sparked the hosts, with the Argentine having a penalty appeal turned down after Joao Pereira appeared to handle his cross inside the box.

    Valencia were still looking dangerous on the break and Paco Alcacer forced a good save fromLopez with a header from Parejo’s free-kick, but the majority of the game was being conducted in Valencia’s half.

    After Di Maria had a shot saved and Isco curled an effort wide, Ronaldo was again thwarted by Alves as his low volley was kept out by the keeper’s dive to his right.

    Eventually the pressure told, as Di Maria’s deep cross was nodded back across goal by Ronaldo and Ramos was on hand to convert from close range.

    At that stage Madrid seemed the only possible winners, but they were soon stunned when Feghouli led another attack down the right and cut back a low cross into the path of Parejo, who provided a classy first-time finish.

    Ronaldo had two more efforts saved by the excellent Alves before heading over the top as it appeared Valencia were going to hold on.

    But in stoppage time Di Maria’s cross from the left was met by a brilliant back-heel volley from Ronaldo to level again.

    There was yet another chance for Ronaldo as Marcelo’s deep cross was headed narrowly wide by the Portuguese star, leaving Madrid frustrated as the title race took another dramatic twist.

    Man of the match
    Daniel Parejo
    Playing against his former club, Parejo topped off a classy performance with a goal and an assist. Parejo failed to make the Bernabeu grade after being perceived as lazy, but there was no sign of that as he ran himself into the ground down the left wing.

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