From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Sun Mar 22 2009 - 07:06:09 EST
Kanoute scores hat trick as Sevilla beats Valladolid in Spanish league
Published Saturday March 21st, 2009
Stephen Mackey, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MADRID - Frederic Kanoute's 13th, 14th and 15th goals of the season
helped Sevilla defeat Valladolid 4-1 and stretch its unbeaten Spanish
league run to six matches on Saturday.
Luis Fabiano also netted for Sevilla at Ramon Sanchez de Pizjuan
Stadium, with Henok Goitom replying for visiting Valladolid with his
ninth goal of the campaign.
Third-place Sevilla, which has 54 points from 28 games, stayed six
points clear of fourth-place Villarreal, which beat Athletic Bilbao 2-0
courtesy of second-half goals by Santi Cazorla and Matias Fernandez.
On Sunday, leader Barcelona, which has 66 points, welcomes the season's
surprise package Malaga. Second-place Real Madrid, with 60, entertains
Almeria.
Also on Sunday, it's: Getafe vs. Recreativo Huelva; Osasuna vs.
Espanyol; Deportivo La Coruna vs. Real Betis; Numancia vs. Sporting
Gijon; Mallorca vs. Atletico Madrid; and Racing Santander vs. Valencia.
Valladolid, which arrived on the back of three straight wins, fell
behind in the eighth minute when Kanoute used his left foot to sweep
midfielder Ndri Romaric's pass into his path, enabling him to rifle home
with his right foot.
Goitom levelled in the 22nd with a downward header from Fabian
Canobbio's floated free kick which evaded advancing Sevilla goalkeeper
Andres Palop. Kanoute restored Sevilla's lead 21 minutes later by
swivelling to volley home Jesus Navas's low cross from the right.
Striker Luis Fabiano added Sevilla's third goal in the 57th by breaking
Valladolid's offside trap to receive Adriano Correia's pass and then
evading goalkeeper Justo Villar.
Kanoute completed his hat trick in the 70th with a powerful header from
an outswinging cross from the left by defender Fernando Navarro, taking
the Mali striker's tally to 10 goals in seven games.
Villarreal, which was paired with Arsenal in Friday's draw for the
Champions League quarter-finals, was well-placed for another appearance
in Europe's top club competition next season.
Villarreal dominated the first half at El Madrigal Stadium although
goalkeeper Diego Lopez, who received a first call-up to the Spain squad
on Friday, was forced to make a diving save from Bilbao midfielder Igor
Gabilondo in the 14th minute.
Villarreal striker Giuseppe Rossi, who was at the heart of most of his
team's attacks, spurned a chance for his 13th goal of the season in the
54th when he lobbed the ball wide with Bilbao goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz
stranded.
However, Spain midfielder Cazorla gave Iraizoz no chance with a fierce
drive from the right of the goal in the 68th following Rossi's incisive
run and pass.
Two minutes after the goal, Villarreal substitute Joseba Llorente angled
his shot narrowly wide after more good work by Rossi.
Lopez was again called into action in the 77th when he tipped Bilbao
striker Fernando Llorente's shot over the bar, moments before Rossi
wasted another clear chance by blazing wide with only Iraizoz to beat.
Bilbao's hopes of drawing level were hit by the 79th-minute ejection of
midfielder Markel Susaeta after he received his second yellow card for a
high tackle.
Fernandez, who had replaced Ariel Ibagaza 10 minutes earlier, feinted
then avoided a diving challenge before firing home in injury time to
ensure his team's tally of 16 points from its past six home games.
Bilbao's defeat at Villarreal continued its recent league slump despite
reaching the Copa del Rey final for the first time in 24 years. The
Basque team has taken just two points from the past seven league games
and has a total of 31, only five points clear of the relegation zone,
ahead of Sunday's matches.
http://sports.canadaeast.com/futbol/article/610891
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