Real snatch a draw

Valencia star Joaquin Sanchez offers a gesture of apology to Betis fans after scoring against them during their Primera Liga clash at the Ruiz de Lopera stadium in Seville on Sunday. Joaquin spent seven years at Betis and later called his strike, “the saddest goal.”Photo: AFP

Real Madrid's flawless start to the season came to an end with a 1-1 draw away to mid-table Valladoid on Sunday.
Pedro Lopez put Valladoid ahead in the 69th minute with a stunning 30-yard drive which had Iker Casillas clutching at thin air.
However late substitute Javier Saviola equalized for the visitors just four minutes from the end of the match following an assist from Ruud van Nistelrooy, amid Valladolid claims that the goal was offside.
Real, who defeated Werder Bremen 2-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday, now have 10 points under new German coach Bernd Schuster, one point ahead of both Valencia and arch rivals Barcelona, who defeated Sevilla 2-1 on Saturday.
"I am not surprised. I knew we were going to suffer and in the end we have to content ourselves with one point," Schuster told reporters after the match when asked if he was caught off-guard by Valladoid's strong performance.
UEFA Cup contenders Atletico Madrid, who outspent all their league neighbours bar Real when buying new talent in the pre-season, claimed their first win of the season defeating ten-man Racing Santander 4-0.
Midfielder Raul Garcia opened the scoring against Racing, who had yet to lose a match this season, from the edge of the area in the 12th minute.
Argentina's Sergio Aguero, Uruguay's Diego Forlan and Portugal's Simao Sabrosa, who came on as a substitute, added three more goals for Atletico after Racing lost midfielder Jordi Lopez to a red card in the 65th minute.
"If we continue along these lines we will be a fighting force. The team was very well positioned," said Atletico's Mexican coach Javier Aguirre.
Champions League hopefuls Valencia extended their winnning streak in La Liga with a 2-1 away win over Real Betis, their third consecutive league victory.
Valencia's Portuguese international Miguel, who earlier this week extended his contract with the club until 2012, opened the scoring in the 69th minute with a powerful low drive.
Former Betis star Joaquin Sanchez made it 2-0 for Valencia seven minutes from time but did not celebrate even as he got a standing ovation from the stands.
The 26-year-old, who spent seven years at the club, had said before the match that scoring against Betis would "be the saddest goal".
Four minutes later Rafael Sobis scored for Betis with a long ball over the top that ended up being nothing more than a consolation goal.
Villarreal, who have had one of their strongest-ever starts to a season, beat Murcia 2-0 at home with two goals in the dying moments of the match from Giuseppe Rossi.
Rossi teamed up with Guille Franco to open the scoring in the 85th minute and netted a second goal four minutes later with an assist from Matias Fernandez.
UEFA Cup contendors Zaragoza claimed their first win of the season with a 2-1 defeat of Osasuna with goals from Matuzalem and Diego Milito.
Athletic Bilbao defeated minnows Levante 2-1 with two goals from Aritz Aduriz.
Getafe and Deportivo Coruna were held to a goalless draw while Almeria and Mallorca drew 1-1.