Football: Fabiano rescues Sevilla against gutsy Malaga
Posted: 29 November 2009 0710 hrs

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MADRID - Brazilian international striker Luis Fabiano scored a superb second half brace as Sevilla came from two goals down to grab a point in a 2-2 home draw with lowly Malaga on Saturday.

Malaga had gone two goals up through Fernando (22 min) and Sevilla old boy Sergio Duda (45) but Fabiano led the second half comeback scoring a bullet header on 58 minutes before levelling with a clinical finish on 72 minutes.

Despite scrambling for the point Sevilla, who missed a host of chances, will view it as two points lost knowing they could have moved above Barcelona and level on points with leaders Real Madrid with a victory. Barcelona host leaders Real, one point ahead, at Camp Nou on Sunday in the eagerly-anticipated 'El Clasico'.

"It was a missed opportunity and we not used to slipping up," bemoaned Sevilla hero Fabiano. "We went 2-0 down and came back but we dropped two important points with Barcelona and Real Madrid playing tomorrow."

Despite climbing off bottom spot and out of the relegation zone with the point Malaga will also feel they have thrown away two vital points as their winless league run stretches to 11 games having not won since the opening day of the season.

Valencia also failed to put pressure on Barca and Real after falling victim to a late penalty equaliser in a 1-1 home draw with Real Mallorca on Saturday.

Spanish international striker David Villa went into double figures for the season, scoring for the third successive game on 48 minutes, but Borja Valero equalised five minutes from time with a penalty to prevent a fifth successive win for Valencia.

If they had won Valencia would have been a point behind Real but Bruno Grau's unnecessary foul gave away the penalty and Valencia stay fourth a point behind Sevilla.

Another blow for Valencia was an injury to key Spanish international midfielder David Silva, who hobbled off in the 27th minute with a problem in his right knee.

"We couldn't get the second goal but they deserve some credit too," said Valencia manager Unai Emery. "We have to grow in every way. We have a lot of qualities but we have to work on some things."

It was a good late point for Mallorca, who stay sixth despite not managing to win a single away match this season.

On Sunday Real take on champions Barca, one point behind, in the Clasico at Camp Nou aiming to get revenge for their but 6-2 mauling at home last season when Barca marched to the title.

"Those players who are ambitious must always believe they are favorites to win," said Real's Cristiano Ronaldo. "We have great respect for our opponent but we shouldn't be afraid of them."

Ronaldo is back from injury after two months out to boost Real while Barca sweat on Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Lionel Messi, who both have thigh strains and missed the 2-0 Champions League win over Inter Milan on Tuesday.

"We will see how they (Messi and Ibrahimovic) are on Sunday. I will talk with the doctors and make a decision," revealed Barca coach Pep Guardiola. "It is not a coincidence that Real Madrid are leaders but we can beat them with or without Messi."

In other matches, goalkeeper Diego Lopez was left a frustrated figure with his two penalty saves still not enough to help 10-man Villarreal end their away blues as they lost 1-0 at Sporting Gijon on Saturday.

Substitute Mate Bilic struck the winning goal on 75 minutes after Spanish international Lopez had parried Alberto Rivera's initial spot-kick and Lopez saved another penalty from Bilic on 88 minutes, but it was to no avail.

Villarreal have yet to win on their travels this season and lie in mid-table far away from their goal of Champions League football while Sporting are a respectable seventh.

"We are disappointed but we have to forget this quickly because we have a very important game against Levski Sofia (in the Europa League on Thursday) and have to go into it in the best frame of mind possible," explained Villarreal coach Ernesto Valverde.

- AFP /ls