Real Madrid rallies for 3-2 win over Getafe

Gonzalo Higuain scored his second goal of the night in injury time to help Real Madrid rally for a 3-2 win over Getafe in the Spanish league.

Higuain ran into the area three minutes into injury time and sent a rising left-footed shot in for the winner,which came during a closing eight minutes that included four goals,a red card for Madrid defender Pepe and a Getafe penalty miss.

Madrid improved to 75 points,three behind league leader Barcelona,which can reclaim its six-point lead with a victory over Sevilla on Wednesday.

Robert Soldado headed Getafe into the lead in the 10th minute,but Higuain jumped on a defensive lapse to even the score in the 45th.

The drama really picked up from the 84th,after substitute Juan Angel Albin put Getafe ahead 2-1.Jose Maria “Guti” Gutierrez equalized from a free kick in the 86th before Pepe was red carded for a series of aggressive actions that began with a shove on Javier Casquero inside the area to set up the penalty.

Pepe then kicked Casquero in the back as he lay on the ground before stamping on the Getafe midfielder several times. Pepe then threw a punch at Albin as players attempted to pry the Portuguese player away.

“That’s not football,” Getafe president Angel Torres said.” And what Marcelo did after isn’t right either. It’s provocative and I think that the disciplinary committee needs to take action.”

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Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas easily saved Casquero’s low-chipped penalty moments after the skirmishes. And Higuain then scored his 18th goal of the season to give the Spanish champions their 17th win in the last 18 league games.

Domingo Cisma’s left-footed shot in the 10th gave Numancia the lead at Los Pajaritos stadium before the visitors were reduced to 10 men in the 20th after Aitor Ocio was sent off for a second yellow card after obstructing Asier Goiria’s run.

Gaizka Toquerro started the rally in the 30th before Llorente scored the winner from just inside the area for his 13th goal of the season and first in more than a month. Numancia also finished with 10 men after Sergio Boris was sent off in the 71st.