SOCCER:VILLARREAL fluffed a chance to keep pace with leaders Real Madrid and second-placed Barcelona when they needed a late penalty to salvage a 1-1 draw at Sporting Gijon yesterday.
Real beat Hercules 3-1 away and Barcelona won 5-0 at home to Sevilla on Saturday to move up to 23 and 22 points respectively with nine matches played. Villarreal stay third on 20.
Valencia, who were held 1-1 at home by bottom club Real Zaragoza on Saturday, are fourth on 17.
The home side went ahead in the 69th when the referee ruled Villarreal defender Gonzalo Rodriguez had handled in the area and awarded a penalty converted by Diego Castro.
Rodriguez was booked for the infraction and picked up a second yellow after a needless block on David Barral in the 77th minute.
Villarreal pressed forward despite going down to 10 men and were awarded a penalty of their own in added time when midfielder Sebastian Eguren hauled Carlos Marchena to the ground in the area.
Striker Giuseppe Rossi, who had missed a good chance for an equaliser a few minutes earlier, made no mistake from the spot.
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