Valencia, Spain – Real Madrid continues to roll in La Liga, 2 win at Valencia on Saturday for straight victory in league play.
Unbeaten in its last eight Spanish league games, the win saw Jose Mourinho's men back move to the top of the table with 31 points on the year, three points ahead of reigning champions Barcelona.
Despite Karim Benzema's opening goal in the 20th minute, the match was largely uneventful until the dying stretch when it exploded for a total of four goals in the span of 11 minutes.
Sergio Ramos doubled Real Madrid's advantage in the 72nd minute, but it was quickly canceled out by Roberto Soldado three minutes later. Cristiano Ronaldo responded with what turned out to be the game-winner in the 79th minute, but Soldado answered back with a consolation goal in the 83rd, his second goal of the game.
Real Madrid's offense is firing on all cylinders at the moment, as the three- score performance on Saturday brings the team's goal total in La Liga to 42 on the season, four better than second-place Barcelona.
Valencia still sits third in La Liga despite seeing its three-game winning run come to an end.
Barcelona 4, Real Zaragoza 0
Barcelona, Spain - Four different goal scorers helped Barcelona maintain pace with Real Madrid at the top of the table with a 4-0 thumping of Real Zaragoza at Camp Nou on Saturday.
Pique opened the scoring from a set piece in the 19th minute, and Lionel Messi continued to terrorize La Liga defenses with his league-leading 15th goal of the season just before halftime.
Carles Puyol and David Villa added goals in the second half, with Puyol scoring his first of the season in the 54th minute and Villa wrapping up the contest in the 75th minute.
Barcelona, still unbeaten with 28 points on the year, remains three points shy of Real Madrid, which defeated Valencia to retain sole possession of first place in La Liga.
Real Zaragoza, meanwhile, is winless in its last five La Liga contests and remains fifth from bottom with just ten points from 12 games.
Villarreal 1, Real Betis 0
Villarreal, Spain - Villarreal rounds out Saturday's La Liga action with a 1-0 win over Real Betis, its second victory in its last three contests.
Borja Valero tallied the lone goal of the game in the 21st minute, helping Villarreal extend its modest unbeaten streak in league play to three games.
Real Betis continues to slump, as it is in the midst of an eight-game winless run. It has managed just one point over that stretch.
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