MADRID: Sevilla passed up the chance to move up to third in La Liga as Victor Casadesus’s equaliser 10 minutes from time handed Levante a vital point in the 1-1 draw at the Sanchez Pizjuan.

After a slow start Unai Emery’s men seemed on course for a seventh consecutive victory at home when Vitolo headed home Gerard Deulofeu’s cross on the half hour mark.

Sevilla’s top scorer Carlos Bacca then had two chances to seal the three points after the break as he fired just wide and was then denied by a clearance off the line by Juanfran.

And the hosts were left to regret those missed opportunities as goalkeeper Beto flapped at a corner 10 minutes from time and the ball fell kindly for Casadesus to prod home from close range.

Sevilla still had their chances to win the game at the death as Kevin Gameiro just failed to reach Bacca’s dangerous low cross and Diego Marino blocked Coke’s fierce drive from close range in the eighth minute of stoppage time as the visitors held on.

On Saturday, Toni Kroos netted his first for Real Madrid and was hailed as the best player on the pitch by his coach as the hosts tore apart Rayo Vallecano 5-1 in La Liga to extend their winning streak to 13 games.

Substitute Neymar and Jordi Alba earlier came to the rescue with second-half goals to give Barcelona a 2-1 comeback victory at Almeria but Lionel Messi again just missed out in his bid to become La Liga’s all-time leading marksman.

Wales winger Gareth Bale netted the opener in his first start after injury when he swept in a Kroos cross after 10 minutes to put Real on track for a victory which puts them on 27 points from 11 games, two more than Barcelona in second.

Sergio Ramos knocked in from a corner after 40 minutes to add to Real’s lead but neighbours Rayo pulled a goal back minutes later when Leo Baptistao seized on a poor backpass by James Rodriguez and set up Alberto Bueno to score.

Cristiano Ronaldo fed Germany World Cup winner Kroos for a precise finish from 20 metres and then the Portuguese found Karim Benzema to slot home.

Ronaldo as ever was on the scoresheet, wrapping up the win with a tame effort which slipped through the hands of goalkeeper Cristian Alvarez, but for once the world player of the year was upstaged.

Meanwhile, a penalty from Nordin Amrabat in the 89th minute gave seventh-placed Malaga a 2-1 victory over Eibar.

Elsewhere, Getafe drew 0-0 with Elche and it was also 0-0 between Celta Vigo and Granada.

PRECIOUS POINT FOR GENOA

MILAN: Genoa goalkeeper Mattia Perin saved a second-half penalty to help secure a precious 1-1 draw away to Cagliari on Sunday that saw Gian Piero Gasperini’s Serie A high-flyers move up to fifth.

Genoa were reduced to ten men when Stefano Sturaro, who had been cautioned in the 12th minute, saw red for a second bookable offence when he fouled Daniele Conti in the area with less than 20 minutes on the clock.

Danilo Avelar stepped up for the spot-kick but Perin parried the Brazilian left-back’s low strike while striker Samuele Longo somehow sent the rebound high and wide with the goal at his mercy.

Perin had got his timing wrong in the 16th minute when he ran out of his goal to intercept a long cross for Brazilian Diego Farias, who was quickest to the ball to prod past the ‘keeper for his maiden Serie A goal.

Cagliari spurned a chance to double their lead when Juraj Kucka unleashed a drive that smacked off the crossbar while at the other end Alessio Cragno tipped over Albin Ekdal’s strike.

Genoa got back on level terms seven minutes after the restart. Luca Rossettini stretched out his leg to intercept a cross from Diego Perotti but the central defender’s attempt saw the ball trickle past Cragno and inside the far post.

On Saturday, AC Milan’s winless streak stretched to four matches following a 2-2 draw at third-place Sampdoria, although the Rossoneri could at least celebrate promising young forward Stephan El Shaarawy breaking his scoring drought.

El Shaarawy put Milan ahead in the 10th minute with his first goal in two seasons. Stefano Okaka scored for Sampdoria just before halftime and Brazilian forward Eder put the hosts ahead in the 51st. Jeremy Menez equalised for Milan with a penalty in the 65th.

BORDEAUX DOWN LENS

PARIS: In a week he faced claims of racism, Bordeaux coach Willy Sagnol was moved to tears in Ligue 1 on Saturday when African striker Cheick Diabate hugged him after sealing a 2-1 win at Lens.

The victory lifts Bordeaux to third position, level on 24 points with second-placed Paris Saint-Germain but trailing on goal difference, while PSG host Ligue 1 leaders Marseille on Sunday.

Sagnol had been forced to apologise this week after appearing to suggest African players may be lacking in “discipline” and “intelligence” in a newspaper interview.

The former French international was also mercilessly whistled by home fans as he walked onto the Lens pitch.

So when 26-year-old Malian striker Diabate scored Bordeaux’s second goal just before half-time and ran over to hug Sagnol, the gesture left the coach wiping tears from his eyes.

Rennes, meanwhile, are comfortably settled in the top third of the table after edging Lorient 1-0 in the Brittany derby on Friday evening.

Corsican club Bastia were in winning form at home when two first-half goals from Gadjo Tallo gave them a 2-0 success over Montpellier.

Nantes extended their unbeaten run to eight games but had to come from behind to beat Caen 2-1 away and climb to fifth.

Pantxi Sirieix, Wissam Ben Yedder and Aleksandar Pesic were on the mark as Toulouse took three points with a 3-0 win at home to Metz.

While Evian climbed off the foot of the table and out of the relegation zone with a 1-0 home win over Nice thanks to a late goal from Danish midfielder Daniel Wass.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2014