Converts penalty in 2-1 win over Zaragoza, Real Madrid lose to BetisMADRID: Ronaldinho converted a late penalty to give Barcelona a 2-1 win at Real Zaragoza on Saturday, cutting the gap at the top of the Spanish league to five points after leaders Real Madrid had slumped to a shock 2-1 loss at Real Betis.
The Brazilian superstar, who has endured a tough season in which he has been dogged by injury as well as poor form, scored from the spot in the 83rd minute after Zaragoza’s Juanfran had been penalised for hand ball.
Ronaldinho had entered the action off the bench in the last 15 minutes with his team being held 1-1. Thierry Henry had given Barca a 34th-minute lead scoring from a super pass from Deco.
Zaragoza’s Diego Milito then blasted a penalty over the top of the crossbar before Brazilian Oliveira brought the home side level in the 53rd minute.
Earlier, champions Real Madrid suffered their fourth league defeat of the season at Betis.
Oozing confidence after last week’s seven-goal mauling of Valladolid, Real chose all out attack from the start and took just five minutes to break the deadlock with a goal which had a distinctly Dutch flavour.
Winger Arjen Robben fed evergreen Spanish international Raul, who found himself crowded out, but Royston Drenthe was on hand to tuck home.
Argentine Hugo Pavone did well to hold off a tigerish challenge from Michel Salgado to cut in from the left flank and whip over a perfectly-weighted cross for Edu to flash an instinctive header past Iker Casillas for the equaliser.
Then Gonzalez climbed above Marcelo to nod Betis into the lead, Edu this time the supplier.
