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| November 8, 2005 | Tuesday | Shawwal 5, 1426 |
Surprise package Osasuna on top of Spanish League
LONDON, Nov 7: AC Milan crushed Udinese 5-1 to rack up their eighth successive Serie A win but stayed second behind Juventus who enjoyed a smooth 3-0 win over Livorno in weekend action on Sunday.
Juventus have 30 points from 11 matches, two ahead of Milan and five clear of third-placed Fiorentina who beat Ascoli 2-0.
Champions Juventus were aiming to resume normal service after losing their 100 per cent record in the 3-1 defeat to Milan last weekend.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who conjured up a spectacular lob-volley over the keeper, David Trezeguet with his fifth in four matches and Alessandro Del Piero scored for Juve.
Milan’s goals came from Alberto Gilardino, who scored once in each half, Clarence Seedorf, Andrea Pirlo with a free kick and Brazil’s Kaka.
Champions Barcelona were in imperious form in their last league game before facing Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, chalking up an emphatic 3-1 over Getafe to regain second spot in the Primera Liga.
Surprise packages Osasuna top the table with 24 points from 11 games after inflicting a first home defeat of the season on Real Sociedad, 2-1 on Saturday. Barca have 22 points.
A first minute strike from Samuel Eto’o, a slick finish from midfielder Ludovic Giuly and a Thiago Motta free kick enabled Barca to end Getafe’s 11-month unbeaten home record and secured the Catalans a fourth league win in a row.
Depleted Real Madrid scraped a 1-0 win at home to Real Zaragoza thanks to a late penalty from Roberto Carlos. Real are third on 21 points.
Manchester United beat Chelsea 1-0 to end the champions’ 40-match unbeaten Premier League run and cut their lead at the top of the table to six points.
Midfielder Darren Fletcher scored the only goal of a high quality match at Old Trafford, a few miles from where Chelsea were last beaten in the league by Manchester City over a year ago.
Chelsea have 31 points from 12 matches, six ahead of Wigan Athletic who won 2-0 at Portsmouth on Saturday for their sixth victory in a row.
United, who ended Arsenal’s 49-match unbeaten run last season, climbed to third, 10 points adrift of Chelsea with a game in hand.
United, who had lost their last two matches, scored just past the half hour. Winger Cristiano Ronaldo crossed beyond the far post from the left and Fletcher ghosted in behind the defence to plant a looping header over keeper Petr Cech and defender John Terry and just inside the other post.
Hamburg SV lost further ground on Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga title race with a goalless draw at Borussia Moenchengladbach on Sunday.
Hamburg, short of inspiration without the suspended Rafael van der Vaart, had few chances and might easily have slipped to defeat with Gladbach finishing strongly.
A draw leaves Hamburg in third place, six points adrift of leaders Bayern and one behind Werder Bremen.
Champions Bayern strengthened their position at the top with a 3-1 home win over Werder on Saturday.
With 12 games played, Bayern lead on 31 points, followed by Bremen on 26 and Hamburg on 25.
Olympique Lyon extended their winning league run to six games with a 1-0 victory at struggling Toulouse and rivals Girondins Bordeaux also won on Saturday.
An early Sidney Govou goal was enough for leaders Lyon to take all three points in Toulouse.
The four-time champions, who have 36 points from 14 matches, remain the only unbeaten side in all competitive games in the major European leagues.
Second-placed Girondins Bordeaux still trail Lyon by nine points after veteran striker Lilian Laslandes gave the Aquitaine side a 1-0 victory at mid-table Nice.—Reuters
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