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La Liga wrap: Real slump further behind

27 August 2012



Real Madrid handed La Liga leaders Barcelona a five-point lead after slumping to a 2-1 loss to Getafe on Sunday.

Gonzalo Higuain's opener was cancelled out by Juan Valera in the 53rd minute, before Abdelaziz Barrada gave Getafe all three points with a quarter of an hour to play.

The result leaves Jose Mourinho's men in 16th place with just one point from their opening two games.

Real took a deserved lead through a well-worked move just before the half-hour as Higuain got on the end of Angel di Maria's pass, rounded goalkeeper Moya and finished from a tight angle.

The hosts, outplayed for much of the opening half, came out of the blocks quickly after the break, levelling in the 53rd minute.

Barrada was the provider as he whipped in a cross from the right flank for Valera, who powered a header past Iker Casillas.

The comeback was complete on 75 minutes when substitute Adrian Colunga slid a pass inside to Barrada, who took a touch before slamming the ball past Casillas.

The final insult on a horrible outing for the capital giants came when Fabio Coentrao received a red card while sitting on the bench, following an exchange of words with the officials.

Barcelona escaped from the Estadio El Sadar with a 2-1 victory over Osasuna.

Tito Vilanova's side were second best for much of the game and fell behind in the 17th minute to a goal from Joseba Llorente.

Vilanova was sent to the stands in the 73rd minute for protesting to the linesman, and his side got a controversial equaliser through Lionel Messi and Osasuna captain Patxi Punal was sent off for protesting the goal.

Punal appeared to be obstructed by the referee in the middle but play was allowed to continue and Alexis Sanchez set up Messi for the equaliser.

The Argentine would pop up once again four minutes later to poke home the winner and give the Catalans a win that they scarcely deserved.

Valencia were held to a 3-3 draw at home to newly promoted Deportivo La Coruna.

A Roberto Soldado brace inside 28 minutes put Valencia 2-0 up, before Abel Aguilar responded for Deportivo.

Sofiane Feghouli restored the home side's two-goal advantage, but an Aguilar strike and a Pizzi penalty secure a draw for the visitors.

To make matters worse for Valencia, Ricardo Costa was sent off after picking up a second yellow card for a challenge on Riki which led to the Deportivo penalty.

Granada and Sevilla played out a 1-1 draw after Alvaro Negredo cancelled out Mikel Rico's opener, while Diego Lopez was sent off on 34 minutes.