Barcelona, Real score hard-fought draws

Ronaldinho scored his first league goal in the second round of the Spanish League as FC Barcelona was held to a 1-1 draw by Sevilla while a ...

Ronaldinho scored his first league goal in the second round of the Spanish League as FC Barcelona was held to a 1-1 draw by Sevilla while a late header by substitute Antonio Nunez from a David Beckham corner earned a depleted Real Madrid a 1-1 draw at Villarreal.

Ronaldinho, a Brazilian international who came to Barcelona from Paris Saint-Germain in a deal worth up to $32.6 million, netted the equalizer in the 58th minute. Jose Antonio Reyes had given Sevilla an early lead with a ninth-minute penalty.

FC Barcelona, struggling to rebuild under a new president after a dismal season last year, beat Athletic Bilbao 1-0 in its first match. In Madrid, Beckham used his crossing skill to provide Nunez with his first league goal for the defending champions, who were trailing after an unstoppable 71st-minute volley by Brazilian substitute Sonny Anderson. In other games, a header by midfielder Ruben Baraja gave Valencia a 1-0 victory at Osasuna, while last season’s runner-up Real Sociedad drew 1-1 with Celta De Vigo.

Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Sevilla each have four points from two matches and head the standings ahead of the remaining six second-round matches.

Beckham’s dead ball kicks were well to the fore in an untidy match, littered with fouls, which was illuminated by Anderson’s goal. Bekham gave a patchy display, although he created danger with a series of freekicks which forced Villarreal goalkeeper Jose Manuel Reina to punch the ball on repeated occasions. Beckham, playing in the center of midfield, made his first notable contribution with a lofted free kick in the 18th minute which Madrid center half Ruben Gonzalez headed just wide.

Madrid, which was already without Brazilian stars Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos, who were on international duty, was hit by the loss of Zinedine Zidane with a right thigh injury in the 26th minute.

Two of Spain’s four representatives in the Champions League, Real Sociedad and Celta, also played out a dull game in which both goals came from Serbian and Montenegrin international strikers.