| League
leaders Barcelona once again
proved that they are a force
to be reckoned with as they
extended their lead at the
top of the Primera Liga to
seven points with a
comfortable win away at
Zaragoza.
An own goal from Delio
Toledo early on followed by
strikes from Ludovic Giuly,
Samuel Eto'o and a second
half effort from Rafael
Marquez gifted Barca the
three points. Luciano
Galletti netted the hosts
consolation.
Barcelona took the lead in
the second minute when
Zaragoza defender Toledo
passed the ball back, which
keeper Ruben Falcon failed
to get to in time and the
ball trickled into the back
of their own net.
In the sixth minute
keeper Victor Valdes
prevented the home side from
equalising when he denied
Savio Bortolini's effort
from a free kick as he
picked it up from the post.
Eight minutes later Eto'o
latched onto a cross from
Giuly but he sent his shot
sailing over the crossbar
before Valdes was forced
back into action as he came
out of his area to deny
Ruben Cani. On the
half hour Barcelona extended
their lead when a pass from
Eto'o found Giuly well
positioned and the Frenchman
made no mistakes as he
rifled the ball into the
left hand corner of the net.
Just seconds later Giuly had
a chance to repeat his
performance following an
assist once again from Eto'o
but this time he hit the
woodwork.
Eto'o himself then began
to push for a goal and in
the 33rd minute sent a
powerful shot over the
crossbar but six minutes
later he made amends after
connecting with a through
ball from Ronaldinho to send
his resulting strike flying
past Ruben Falcon.
Zaragoza came close to
levelling before the break
with a shot from Galletti,
but he saw his chance hit
the post. After the break
Jose Movilla tested Valdes
again, and beat the keeper
only to see his effort hit
the post.
In the 62nd minute
Zaragoza managed to pull one
back as their captain
Galletti neatly controlled
the ball inside the area and
blasted the ball into the
net. Three minutes later he
could have added his second
but he sent the ball soaring
over the bar.
But Barcelona compounded
their hosts misery further
as they added their fourth
in the 71st minute.
A corner from Xavi Hernandez
found Marquez's head and the
Mexican sent the ball
towards the goal and it
deflected off the post and
into the back of the net.
Zaragoza substitute
Fernando Soriano sent the
ball wide in the 86th minute
before in the dying stages
Ronaldinho was stopped in
his tracks by Ruben Falcon.
The host's keeper was
again the hero in the dying
stages as in extra time he
denied both Eto'o and Andres
Iniesta from making it five.
Real Madrid have the chance
to cut Barcelona's lead to
just four points again on
Sunday when they meet
Osasuna.
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