Soccer: Ronaldo's late header leads Madrid over Osasuna

MADRID — Cristiano Ronaldo's last-minute header gave Real Madrid a 3-2 victory against Osasuna on Sunday to keep it within one point of Spanish leader Barcelona with three games to play.

Ronaldo leapt at the far post to meet Gonzalo Higuain's floated cross for his second goal of the match. The Portugal forward's 22nd goal of the season kept Madrid just behind its closest rival Barcelona, which beat Villarreal 4-1 on Saturday.

Osasuna twice led at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium as Carlos Aranda pounced on a defensive mix-up for a seventh-minute opener that was canceled out in the 25th when Ronaldo finished off a run with a powerful shot past Ricardo Lopez.

Osasuna went ahead again in the 42nd when Aranda fed Krisztian Vadocz, who sent a half-volley past goalkeeper Iker Casillas, but the lead was short-lived as Esteban Granero picked Marcelo out between two defenders with a long ball to head home in the 44th.

Barcelona leads with 90 points, while Madrid has 89 from 35 games.

Earlier, Alvaro Negredo scored two first-half penalties to lead Sevilla to a 3-1 win over Atletico Madrid and move into fourth, although Mallorca can reclaim that spot when it plays Athletic Bilbao later.

Ronaldo came to the rescue with an impressive display after Madrid was in danger of dropping points at the Bernabeu for only the second time in 18 games, having won all of its matches there except a 2-0 defeat to Barcelona last month.

Raul Albiol's miscued pass back toward Casillas left Aranda with a perfect opening as he sprinted on to the ball, rounded the Spain goalkeeper and slotted into the empty net.

Lopez did well to deny Ronaldo and Kaka before the Portugal star capped a zigzagging run with a skimming shot which went in at the near post.

Aranda troubled Casillas in the 38th with a header that the keeper caught but four minutes later Madrid's defense allowed Aranda to control the ball before lobbing a pass into the area for Vadocz to beat Casillas with a rising shot.

Marcelo's goal energized Madrid before Lopez tipped Ronaldo's free kick wide and then denied the forward again in the 51st. Lopez recovered to defy Kaka as the Brazilian tried to score from the rebound.

Both teams had opportunities but Osasuna came close to getting the fifth goal as Casillas made a reflex save from Aranda before watching Vadocz and substitute Masoud Soleimani botch a 2-on-0 break in the 67th without getting a shot away.