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Full Time After Extra Time This is a live match. Extra Time Half Time

Real Madrid vs Espanyol. Spanish La Liga.

Santiago BernabeuAttendance72,000.

Real Madrid 2

  • C Ronaldo (47th minute)
  • F Coentrão (48th minute)

Espanyol 2

  • Sergio García (31st minute)
  • J Albin (88th minute)

Champions held at home

Image: Juan Albin earns Espanyol a late point

Juan Albin's late equaliser rocked Real Madrid's hopes of retaining their title as they drew 2-2 with Espanyol.

Juan Albin's late equaliser struck another blow to Real Madrid's hopes of retaining their Primera Division title as they could only draw with Espanyol at the Santiago Bernabeu. Sergio Garcia had given the visitors a deserved lead on the half-hour but Madrid appeared to be heading for victory as goals form Cristiano Ronaldo and Fabio Coentrao either side of half-time put them in front. However, after missing a host of chances to put the Catalans away, Jose Mourinho's men were punished two minutes from time as Albin turned the ball past Iker Casillas from close range. The point extends Madrid's unbeaten record at home this season to 12 games but they were left to rue a lacklustre first-half performance and a profligate one after the break. After a early flurry from the hosts in which Luka Modric should have put them in front as he shot wide when well-positioned inside the area, it was the visitors who posed the greater threat as time and again they exposed Madrid's high defensive line. Simao pulled a shot wide after getting in behind Alvaro Arbeloa on 15 minutes before Coentrao had to make a last-ditch tackle to prevent Garcia a clear shot on goal moments later. Modric then sent a long-range effort back off the post, but it was an error from the Croatian that led to the opening goal as he was dispossessed in midfield and Joan Verdu sent Garcia through to score his first goal of the season with a brilliant finish inside Casillas' far post. As a reflection of how the first half was going, Kiko Casilla was not seriously called into action until six minutes before the break as a wonderful pass from Mesut Ozil released Ronaldo but his low effort was turned behind by the goalkeeper's legs. However, there was nothing Casilla could do in first-half stoppage time as Sami Khedira's ball in from the right was prodded home from point-blank range by Ronaldo for his 22nd goal of the season. And the turnaround was complete within two minutes of the restart as Ronaldo turned provider with a lovely reverse ball that freed Coentrao to slide home his first goal for the club. Mourinho had introduced Angel Di Maria for Modric at half-time and he made a huge contribution to what was a greatly improved second-half performance by the champions, although the Argentinian was at fault as Madrid passed up a number of chances to seal the points. Casilla made three important stops to deny Arbeloa and Di Maria on two occasions, while Di Maria also saw a deflected effort come crashing off the bar and Ronaldo completely miscued his shot from six yards after being teed up at the end of a wonderful team move. Substitute Alvaro Morata was also denied by a goal-line clearance by Hector Moreno and eventually Madrid's wastefulness cost them as with two minutes remaining they failed to clear a corner and Albin was on hand to turn in Moreno's knockdown.

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