Real Madrid came back from a goal down to earn a 3-2 victory over Sevilla at Santiago Bernabeu and keep alive their hopes of catching up with Primera Liga leaders Barcelona. Enzo Maresca fired Sevilla in front four minutes before the break but was cancelled out by Ruud van Nistelrooy's strike two minutes past the hour mark. Robinho put Real ahead in the 70th minute before Van Nistelrooy added the third five minutes from time, taking his tally in the league to 20 goals to top the scorers' chart. Sevilla's Uruguayan striker Ernesto Chevanton pulled one back in stoppage time but couldn't save the UEFA Cup finalists. The victory moved Real to second place in the table with 63 points, two behind Barcelona while Sevilla lie third on 61 points. Malian midfielder Mahamadou Diarra had the first chance for the hosts after 15 minutes when he towered to head David Beckham's corner just inches wide of the post. Four minutes later, Cicinho raced down the right flank before providing a low cross to Raul, whose shot from inside the area was blocked by a defender into the path of Emerson The Brazilian midfielder then tried his luck but Spanish international keeper Ilker Casillas brilliantly tipped his shot over. Italian midfielder Maresca stunned the home crowd in the 41st minute after he received Frederic Kanoute's back header on the edge of the area with a superb left-footed volley into the top corner of the net.
Alves squandered a golden opportunity Maresca's strike can be compared to Zinedine Zidane's stunning volley against Bayer Leverkusen in the 2002 UEFA Champions League final. Beckham could have leveled the score in the 57th minute after Robinho's neat pass released him but his shot from a tight angle was blocked by Andres Palop. Midfielder Guti replaced the ineffective Raul in the 59th minute and the Spaniard's introduction made the difference three minutes later. His deft through pass beat the offside trap and released Van Nistelrooy through on goal before the Dutchman rounded Palop and slotted into the empty net. Sevilla Brazilian right-back Daniel Alves almost restored the lead in the 69th minute when he was picked out unmarked by Alexander Kerzhakov's low cross at the far post but he hit the side-netting with the goal at his mercy. The visitors were punished nine minutes later after Robinho latched on to a superb defense-splitting pass from Guti to drill into the back of the net. But the former Santos forward was sent-off right after the goal after receiving a second booking for partially removing his shirt. Former Manchester United striker Van Nistelrooy put the icing on the cake in the 85th minute when headed home into the empty net after Sergio Ramos' shot was parried by Palop into his path. Chevanton's curling free-kick found the back of the net but it was just a consolation for Sevilla.
