Owen keeps Madrid in title chase

Real Madrid closed the gap on the Spanish League leaders Barcelona to six points last night with a 3-1 win at the Bernabeu against Real Betis.

Real Madrid closed the gap on the Spanish League leaders Barcelona to six points last night with a 3-1 win at the Bernabeu against Real Betis.

An opportunist strike from Michael Owen and a thunderbolt from Roberto Carlos put Real Madrid 2-0 up at the break. The midfielder Edu pulled one back for the visitors but Ivan Helguera looped a header over the Betis goalkeeper Antonio Doblas two minutes later.

Manuel Pelligrini's Villarreal climbed into third with a 2-1 win at home to Real Mallorca, the former Manchester United striker Diego Forlan scoring a late winner.

Seville and Valencia fought out a dramatic 2-2 draw that keeps both teams in the hunt for Champions' League places, but Valencia were left ruing their bad luck when they had a late goal disallowed for a foul. The result left Seville fourth, one point ahead of Valencia, the defending champions.