Real stay top after dramatic night

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MADRID, Spain -- Two goals from Ruud van Nistelrooy rescued a point for Real Madrid at Real Zaragoza and kept them top of the Spanish Primera Liga ahead of Barcelona whose 2-2 home draw against Espanyol saw a controversial opening goal from Lionel Messi.

With Barcelona trailing 1-0 to their city rivals, the Argentine launched himself at a Gianluca Zambrotta cross and connected with his hand to steer the ball past Espanyol keeper Carlos Kameni on 43 minutes.

It was a virtual carbon copy of compatrot Diego Maradona's infamous "hand of god" goal against England in the 1986 World Cup finals.

Messi proceeded to score a second goal after the break to put Barcelona into a 2-1 lead at the Nou Camp only for Espanyol to equalize in the dying moments as Raul Tamudo, who had put them ahead after half an hour, grabbed a crucial second.

Real's title hopes looked to have gone up in smoke as they trailed Zaragoza 2-1 with just over a minute to go.

But a late scrambled goal from van Nistelrooy means that Real will win their first league title in four years if they beat mid-table Real Mallorca at home in the final game of the season next weekend.

With one game left to play Real and Barcelona are both on 73 points, but the nine-times European champions lead because of their better head-to-head record. Sevilla are two points behind on 71.

Juande Ramos's side were held 0-0 at Real Mallorca, but still have an outside chance of taking the title if they win their final match at home to Villarreal and both Barca and Real slip up.

If all three sides finish level on points Real will take the title, if Real and Sevilla have the same total then the Andalucians will be champions and if Barca and Sevilla are tied at the top then the Catalans will win through.

"It was a mad night, it was unbelievable with all those goals coming at the same time," said Van Nistelrooy. "But this side has shown it has got great spirit."

In an evening of high drama, Real drew first blood when Barcelona fell behind after Tamudo stroked the ball into the top corner following a deft through pass from Ivan de la Pena on the half hour.

But at almost exactly the same moment, Real went 1-0 down to Zaragoza, Argentine striker Diego Milito smashing home from the penalty spot after Ivan Helguera had handled the ball.

Barca equalised when Messi did a 'Maradona' just before halftime and the player struck again early in the second half, this time with a legitimate goal, sweeping the ball home after a neat turn and pass from Deco.

Van Nistelrooy equalised for Real at almost the same time, but their title hopes appeared to have unravelled when Milito fired under Iker Casillas after a virtuoso run from Pablo Aimar.

Real were still behind in the title race when Van Nistelrooy scored his 25th goal of the season, poking home from a meter with a minute to go, but there was still one last twist to come.

A shaky-looking Barca back four left Tamudo free down the right after misjudging the offside trap and the Espanyol striker drilled a low angled shot past Victor Valdes to earn his side the 2-2 draw that put Real back on top.

On hearing of the goal in Barcelona, an ecstatic Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon ran down on to the pitch at La Romareda and gave a lap of honor to salute the travelling Real fans.

"It is going to be very difficult to digest this result," said Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard. "We missed a great chance, but we have to keep fighting while it is still mathematically possible. Tonight could have been so different."

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