THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MADRID, Spain — Raul Gonzalez scored his 200th Spanish league goal to give Real Madrid a 2-1 win over Espanyol, extending the defending champion’s lead in the standings to eight points on Saturday.
Raul converted a 74th-minute penalty that was awarded after he was pulled by defender Daniel Jarque at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, and his team bounced back from its Champions League elimination by AS Roma three days earlier.
Espanyol midfielder Valdo Lopes gave the visitors a 29th-minute lead when he headed past Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas, who was making his 300th league appearance.
Forward Gonzalo Higuain drew Madrid level in the 43rd when he deflected defender Marcelo’s outswinging cross with his thigh. Espanyol goalkeeper Carlos Kameni dived and got his hands to the ball but couldn’t prevent it from crossing the line.
"It wasn’t a match for the gallery but that wasn’t the most important thing today," Madrid coach Bernd Schuster told Efe.
Espanyol captain Raul Tamudo received a red card on the final whistle for protesting. The ejection marred Tamudo’s 302nd league appearance, which set a club record. The striker had entered the field in the 65th minute for his first match since breaking an arm six weeks ago.
Also, Atletico Madrid lost 2-1 at Zaragoza and missed the chance to rise into third place.
Zaragoza ended its run of four straight defeats in its first match under Manolo Villanova, who this week became the club’s fourth coach of the season.
Madrid leads with 62 points, followed by FC Barcelona with 54. Villarreal follows with 47, three more than Atletico. Espanyol stays fifth with 42.
On Sunday, Barcelona can cut Madrid’s lead to five points again if it beats visiting Villarreal. Also, it’s: Sevilla versus Levante; Osasuna versus Almeria; Athletic Bilbao versus Valladolid; Racing Santander versus Real Betis; Murcia versus Getafe; Mallorca versus Recreativo Huelva; and Valencia versus Deportivo La Coruna.
A brief moment of silence was held before Madrid’s game as a mark of respect for Isaias Carrasco, a Basque politician killed by a suspected member of separatist group ETA on Friday, two days before Spain’s general election.
The home team lacked injured forwards Ruud van Nistelrooy and Arjen Robben, defenders Fabio Cannavaro, Christoph Metzelder and Michel Salgado. Defender Sergio Ramos was suspended.
Schuster substituted Robinho, who had made little impact, with Royston Drenthe at the start of the second half.
Villanova, who replaced Javier Irureta on Monday, saw his new side fall behind in the 26th when Atletico midfielder Simao Sabrosa curled a shot home from just outside the penalty area.
Zaragoza equalized eight minutes later courtesy of a miskick by Atletico defender Pablo Ibanez which ended up in the net.
Simao gave away a penalty with a foul on Zaragoza’s Sergio Garcia, allowing Diego Milito to score the 73rd-minute winning goal, his 15th goal of the season.