La Liga wrap: Barca edge closer to Real

11 April 2012 00:33

Barcelona moved to within a point of La Liga leaders Real Madrid with a 4-0 victory over Getafe at Camp Nou on Tuesday.

An Alexis Sanchez brace and goals from Lionel Messi and Pedro helped Pep Guardiola's side to the comprehensive win.

The hosts needed only 13 minutes to open the scoring through Sanchez.

Messi cushioned the ball into the path of the Chilean, who skipped inside defender Alexis before curling an effort into the top corner from the edge of the area.

Barcelona were dominant and created several chances, but they needed until the 44th minute to double their advantage.

Messi played a one-two with Andres Iniesta in the area, before hammering a low drive past Miguel Angel Moya from 15 yards.

Getafe went close to pulling a goal back in the second half with Daniel Diaz rattling the crossbar with an ambitious shot.

It was not until the 73rd minute that Barcelona found the net again.

Isaac Cuenca, who hugged the right touchline all game, recovered from an initial heavy touch to supply a great cross for Sanchez to head past Moya.

Two minutes later, Guardiola's side made the victory all the more emphatic.

Messi supplied the expert delivery which Pedro flicked on from the near post to score just his third league goal of the season.

Elsewhere, Osasuna moved to within two points of fifth-placed Levante after their 2-0 win over nine-man Espanyol.

Raul Garcia netted on 53 minutes, before things went from bad to worse for the visitors when Philippe Coutinho was sent off after receiving his second yellow card.

Garcia struck again for his side in the 69th minute, and Espanyol's horror showing was completed with Juan Forlin's dismissal soon after.

Elsewhere, Real Betis and Real Sociedad played out a 1-1 draw.

Carlos Vela gave Sociedad a 56th-minute lead after receiving a pass from Agirretxe, who had earlier had a penalty saved by Fabricio Agosto.

But the hosts were unable to hold on with Betis finding an equaliser 20 minutes from time through Ruben Castro.