Barca go clear at the top

Leaders Barcelona edged closer to their third consecutive league title with a 2-0 away win over struggling Real Sociedad in the Primera Liga on Saturday.

Frank Rijkaard's side had only managed one win from their previous 10 away trips and laboured to break down the Basques until Ronaldinho set up Andres Iniesta for the opener just after the break.

The Brazilian playmaker made sure of the points by laying on the second for Samuel Eto'o at the end.

The victory moved Barcelona four points clear at the top on 65 with five left to play and put the pressure back on chasing Sevilla and Real Madrid, who meet in the Bernabeu on Sunday.

"It was a very important result and we showed a great attitude," Rijkaard said after the game.

Fourth-placed Valencia remained hot on the heels of the top three winning 2-1 away at Deportivo Coruna to climb to 59 points.

Depor's Sebastian Taborda came on as a second-half substitute and equalised with his first touch after Hugo Viana had put the visitors ahead just before the break.

The livewire David Silva finished off a swift counter-attack to secure the win for Valencia. Sociedad, who had won their last three home games, remain second-bottom on 27 points, three from safety having played a game more than their rivals.

Sociedad strung five across midfield at Anoeta and left a static Barca with very little room to manoeuvre.

Arriving late from midfield, Xavi had a goal ruled out for offside early on and then forced home goalkeeper Claudio Bravo into a point blank save as he latched on to Ronaldinho's dink over the defence in the 27th minute.

But Barca created little in the first half and were lucky to still have eleven on the pitch after Edmilson scythed down Savio just before the break.

Two minutes after the re-start Ronaldinho was given space to send Iniesta through the offside trap with a sweet pass for the Spain international to round Bravo and score.

The Chilean keeper saved well from Eto'o and Ronaldinho as the visitors sought to kill off the game but they had to wait until two minutes from time before they managed it.

Ronaldinho spotted a run by Eto'o and sent him scampering clear onto a long pass from where he finished past Bravo.

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