Real stay top after 2-0 win over Recreativo

By Simon Baskett

MADRID (Reuters) - Second-half strikes from Ruud van Nistelrooy and Gonzalo Higuain earned Real Madrid a 2-0 win at home to Recreativo Huelva on Sunday that kept them top of the Primera Liga.

The game looked to be heading for a draw until Van Nistelrooy slotted a low shot past keeper Stefano Sorrentino after Raul had clipped a neat pass into his path on the edge of the area 17 minutes from time.

Substitute Higuain added the second just before the final whistle, rounding Sorrentino and steering into the open net after a fine through-ball from midfielder Guti.

Argentine forward Lionel Messi scored one and set up another as he helped Barcelona to a comfortable 3-0 win at home to Atletico Madrid that pushed them up into second place ahead of Villarreal who went down 3-2 at Osasuna.

Real head the standings with 19 points from seven games, two clear of Barcelona and four ahead of Villarreal and their regional rivals Valencia, who lost 2-1 at home to Espanyol on Saturday.

An out-of-sorts Sevilla slipped to their fourth league defeat in a row when they went down 1-0 at home to Deportivo Coruna and drop to 15th place in the table although they have a game in hand.

Atletico made a bright start at the Nou Camp, gaining the upper hand in the early exchanges, but a dreadful error by Italian keeper Christian Abbiati gifted Barca the lead in the 16th minute.

EMPTY NET