Van Nistelrooy brilliance fires Real seven points clear

AFP - 8 December 2007 23:47

New managers usually have a honeymoon period but Valencia coach Ronald Koeman, seen here in November 2007, must be wondering what happened to his after a dour 0-0 draw with Osasuna on Saturday did little to lift the gloom surrounding the club.

MADRID (AFP) - Ruud van Nistelrooy showed he is much more than just a penalty box predator scoring a brilliant winner to help Real Madrid move seven points clear at the top of the Spanish championship with a 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.

Dutch international van Nistelrooy curled a fantastic 55th minute winner as champions Real opened up a seven-point gap on Barcelona who are under pressure to beat Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday.

Villarreal are also seven points behind the leaders ahead of their home game against Real Betis on Sunday.

Eleven wins from 15 games makes impressive reading for Real who were again indebted to their goal machine van Nistelrooy.

The Dutch forward was the club's top-scorer last season with 25 goals and he weighed in with his seventh league goal in 12 outings.

In Saturday's early match Valencia stumbled to a 0-0 draw at Osasuna as new coach Ronald Koeman struggles to lift the current gloom around the club.

Out of the Champions League and falling down the league Koeman could be forgiven for regretting his decision to leave PSV Eindhoven in November.

While Barcelona look a soft touch away from home Real look resilient and manager Bernd Schuster is not afraid to make decisions as he showed by keeping

Brazilian international Julio Baptista, trying to revive his career at Madrid, was in the starting line-up at the expense of Guti.

Real had won the last four meetings between the two sides but Bilbao were not intimidated and started promisingly.

On the quarter hour mark Raul came close to scoring his ninth goal of the season but was charged down at the last minute and seconds later Robinho saw a toe-poked effort parried off the line.

Iker Casillas had been a virtual spectator but was called into action after half an hour producing a fine save to deny a goalbound header from Fernando Llorente.

Defender Pepe, a 30 million euro signing from FC Porto in the summer, then appeared to have headed Real in front but the linesman lifted his flag to rule the effort out for offside and prompt jeers from the relieved home fans.

On 55 minutes van Nistelrooy had the ball in the net and there was no chance of offside as brilliantly bent a right-footed shot into the top corner.

Robinho then hit the post for Real who continued to push forward in numbers.

Bilbao fans were frustrated by some refereeing decisions and threw several objects, including a pocket knife, onto the pitch.

Real must now concentrate on Tuesday's Champions League match with Lazio where they need a draw to progress to the knockout phase.

Valencia are already out of Europe's flagship club competition and are fighting for a UEFA Cup spot when they travel to Chelsea on Tuesday.

One point from nine leaves them down in sixth although Koeman tried to put a brave face on the scoreless draw with Osasuna.

"Neither team created many chances but one positive is that we were much more solid at the back," said Koeman.

"We have to improve going forward but I saw a well-organised team that fought very hard. This is the path we have to follow."

Like his predecessor Quique Sanchez Flores, Koeman is struggling to get the best out of the current crop of players and has reportedly urged the Valencia board to change their rigid wage structure to bring in top quality stars.