01/25/26 12:15:00
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01/25 12:13 CST Yamal's acrobatic goal helps Barcelona beat Oviedo and regain
Spanish league lead
Yamal's acrobatic goal helps Barcelona beat Oviedo and regain Spanish league
lead
By TALES AZZONI
AP Sports Writer
MADRID (AP) --- Lamine Yamal scored with an acrobatic volley and Barcelona beat
last-place Oviedo 3-0 to regain the lead of the Spanish league on Sunday.
Dani Olmo and Raphinha also struck in the second half with both players taking
advantage of defensive mistakes by the Oviedo defense.
Yamal scored his 73rd-minute goal with a bicycle kick from near the penalty
spot. Yamal connected with Olmo's cross to swiftly send the ball into the far
corner with his left foot.
It was the first league goal of the year for Yamal, and eighth in La Liga this
season.
He received a loud ovation from the home crowd when he was substituted in the
79th.
The victory moved Barcelona one point ahead of Real Madrid, which won 2-0 at
Villarreal on Saturday.
"We didn't play our best in the first half but we found our way in the second
and could score the goals," Raphinha said.
Sunday's match ended under a hailstorm in Barcelona.
Olmo opened the scoring with a low shot in the 52nd after the Oviedo defense
failed to fully clear a ball inside the area.
Raphinha added to the lead five minutes later after Oviedo defender David
Costas tried to pass the ball back to goalkeeper Aarn Escandell but left it
short. Raphinha came in to intercept the pass and lobbed the ball over
Escandell.
Barcelona had lost 2-1 at Real Sociedad in its previous league match, a result
that had ended its 11-match winning streak across all competitions.
Last-place Oviedo is winless in 14 consecutive matches in all competitions. Its
last win was a 2-1 victory over Valencia in September.
Atletico back to third place
Atletico Madrid regained third place by beating Mallorca 3-0.
It was the first time in six matches this year that Atletico scored more than
one goal.
The victory moved Diego Simeone's team three points ahead of Villarreal, which
remains with a game in hand.
Alexander Sorloth put the hosts ahead by scoring his fourth goal of the year in
the 22nd minute.
Atletico's second goal was an unfortunate own-goal by Osasuna defender David
Lpez in the 75th. His teammate Mateu Morey attempted to clear a cross inside
the area and his shot struck Lpez in the face and ricocheted back into the net.
Midfielder Thiago Almada sealed Atletico's second straight league victory in
the 87th.
Mallorca, 16th in the standings, has only one win in its last five league games
--- 3-2 against Athletic Bilbao last weekend. It has three losses and a draw in
this streak.
A minute of silence has been held before kickoff in all of this weekend's games
for the victims of two deadly train wrecks in Spain this week.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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