Atletico end Barcelono’s unbeaten run

Madrid, February 6:

Fernando Torres scored twice and Maxi Rodriguez added another as Atletico Madrid beat FC Barcelona 3-1 to end the leader’s 14-game winning streak in the Spanish league.

Barcelona, lacking Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto’o together with four other players, failed to equal the record number of 15 straight league victories set by Real Madrid in the 1960-61.

Barcelona leads the league with 52 points after 22 games, nine more than Valencia and 10 ahead of Real Madrid and Osasuna. Atletico captain Torres scored first in the 33rd minute and Martin Petrov created the visitors’ second goal in the 47th by charging down the left wing and passing across goal for Rodriguez to score.

Henrik Larsson reduced the deficit in the 65th but Torres restored Atletico’s two-goal lead 11 minutes later. In other mathes, Sevilla 0, Osasuna 1; Zaragoza 4, Real Betis 3; Villarreal 1, Cadiz 1; Real Sociedad 2, Mallorca 1; Getafe 2, Alaves 2; and Racing Santander 0, Celta Vigo 1.

Premier League

LONDON: Chelsea emerged from a spate of draws to grind out a 2-0 victory over third-placed Liverpool and re-open their 15-point lead in the Premier League.

After three successive 1-1 draws for the champions, two in the league and one in the FA Cup, goals in each half by William Gallas and Hernan Crespo all but extinguished Liverpool’s remote chance of overhauling them.

Liverpool have been a thorn in the side of Jose Mourinho’s team in their Champions League tussles but after a bright opening half hour, they faded badly at Stamford Bridge.

The European champions’ frustration boiled over eight minutes from time when Spanish goalkeeper Pepe Reina was sent off for raising a hand to Arjen Robben who collapsed to the floor holding his face.

Earlier, Tottenham Hotspur consolidated fourth place with a comprehensive 3-1 home victory against Charlton Athletic — with Jermain Defoe twice on target. Chelsea now have 66 points from 25 matches, Manchester United are second with 51 and Liverpool have 45 with two games in hand. Tottenham have 44.

Italian Serie A

ROME: Defending champion Juventus won 1-0 over 10-man Udinese to keep its eight-point lead after second-place Inter Milan beat Chievo Verona by the same score. Alessandro Del Piero’s 70th-minute goal gave Juventus its 12th home win in as many matches. Del Piero deflected in a low cross from Gianluca Zambrotta despite possibly being offside to score his seventh goal of the season.

The 20th win in 23 matches lifted the Turin powerhouse to 62 points. Inter has 54. AC Milan stayed third but slipped 14 points behind Juventus following a 0-0 draw at Lazio, who has 34 points and is tied for seventh with Chievo Verona.

At the San Siro, Julio Ricardo Cruz scored the winner for Inter in the seventh minute, tapping in the rebound as Luis Figo struck the post from a free kick.

Also, league leading striker Luca Toni scored his 22nd goal in the 37th with a curling left-footed shot as Fiorentina beat last-place Lecce 1-0. Fiorentina moved one point short of AC Milan in fourth place.

Arturo Di Napoli converted two late penalties and Messina rallied to a 2-2 draw at Livorno; Reggina came from behind twice to draw 2-2 with visiting Palermo; Mauro Esposito netted two goals to help Cagliari beat Empoli 4-1; and lowly Treviso drew 1-1 at Sampdoria.