The Hindu : Sport / Football : Real Betis moves into third place

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 23, 2005

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Sport - Football

Real Betis moves into third place

MADRID: Real Madrid drew Atletico Madrid 0-0 in its last home game of the season on Saturday. Madrid, which will finish as runner-up after losing out on the Spanish league title to FC Barcelona, created few chances at Santiago Bernabeu stadium although it extended its unbeaten streak to nine games.

In Saturday's other match, Ricardo Oliveira scored his 22nd goal of the season, and Real Betis downed Zaragoza 3-2 to move into third place.

Spot in UEFA Cup

Betis clinched at least a spot in next season's UEFA Cup with its victory in the penultimate round, and increased its chances of a debut in the Champions League.

"The two teams were only motivated by it being a local derby. It's all almost over now and it was a boring match. Today it was like a friendly," Madrid coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo told Efe news agency. Madrid is five points behind the new titlist.

Barcelona had 82 points, and Madrid 77. Betis had 61 points, above Villarreal on head-to-head results. Sevilla was fifth with 59 points, two more than Espanyol.

Disappointing

The match between the rivals from the Spanish capital reflected their disappointing seasons.

Madrid's stars will end without a major trophy for the second straight year, while 11th-place Atletico missed out on a European place after picking up only two points from seven games.

Madrid striker Ronaldo, whose 20-goal tally this season is four less than league-leading Samuel Eto'o, was handed an unusual role of free-kick taker in the first half to help his bid to overtake the Barcelona striker before the end of the season.

Yet Ronaldo spurned the best chance before the interval when his shot from Raul Gonzalez's pass was parried by goalkeeper Leo Franco in the 32nd minute.

David Beckham received a yellow card in the 61st minute which will suspend him from Madrid's final game against Zaragoza next week.

This could persuade Madrid to release Beckham for England's friendly with the United States in Chicago on May 28.

Beckham and Madrid teammate Michael Owen were already expected to be available for the second match against Colombia in New Jersey on May 31.

Beckham and Ronaldo bid farewell to their home crowd this season in the 75th when they were replaced by Luis Figo and Jose Maria `Guti' Gutierrez.

Wasted opportunity

Owen, who had barely featured previously, wasted a golden opportunity to give Madrid three points when he blazed over the bar just before time.

Before kickoff, Madrid marked the retirement of its former captain, Fernando Hierro, who led the team to three Champions League titles and six league championships before being cut along with coach Vicente del Bosque at the end of the 2002-03 season.

Hierro, who made the final appearance of his career for Premier League team Bolton Wanderers last Sunday, performed a ceremonial kickoff and was greeted with cheering and warm applause from the crowd.

Zaragoza took the lead in the 36th minute at Betis' Manuel Ruiz de Lopera stadium when Brazilian forward Savio Bortolini sent a left-footed free kick from the edge of the area into the net.

Spain defender Juanito Gutierrez equalised in the 59th minute with a glancing header from Joaquin Sanchez's in-swinging left cross.

Brazil striker Oliveira clipped Betis' second goal from substitute Fernando Varela's low cross in the 69th. Oliveira is only two goals behind Eto'o.

Forward Fernando Fernandez netted Betis' third when he chipped home after receiving a through ball by midfielder Arzu Garcia with eight minutes remaining. Substitute Oscar Gonzalez headed Zaragoza's second goal in injury time.

The results: Real Madrid 0 drew with Atletico Madrid 0; Real Betis 3 (Savio Bortolini, Ricardo Oliveira, Fernando Fernandez) bt Zaragoza 2 (Juanito Gutierrez, Oscar Gonzalez). — AP

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