Ten-man Sevilla snatch victory

Sevilla’s Frederic Kanoute piles the pressure on Sporting’s Maurizio Lanzaro [EPA]

Substitute Alvaro Negredo scored a last-minute winner as Sevilla survived the dismissal of Fernando Navarro to snatch a 2-1 victory at struggling Real Zaragoza in Spain’s Primera Division.

Elsewhere Real Madrid reclaimed the top spot from Barcelona with Gonzalo Higuain’s late goal securing a 1-0 win at Sporting Gijon.

With time running out, Negredo recovered the ball near midfield and dribbled to the edge of the area before slotting past goalkeeper Antonio Doblas as Sevilla moved up to fourth place on 20 points.

Last gasp

Earlier Negredo’s Brazilian strike partner Luis Fabiano had fired the Andalusians ahead in the 29th minute at the Romareda before Nico Bertolo nodded the home side level just after half time.

Defender Navarro was shown a straight red in the 72nd minute after hauling down Braulio when he was through on goal but it was the visitors who claimed the three points thanks to a moment of brilliance from Negredo.

“The team was very ambitious and never gave the game up for lost,” Sevilla coach Gregorio Manzano said.

“Everything looked to be against us, but we are very happy to take back the three points to Seville.”

Last minute

Higuain broke through for Real Madrid with eight minutes to play in the game on Sunday when he darted in to push the rebound of a Benzema header that goalkeeper Juan Pablo Colinas could not control.

The win moved Madrid to 29 points, one ahead of Barcelona after they beat third-place Villarreal 3-1 on Saturday.

Madrid owned the larger share of the scoring chances throughout, but an inspired Colinas kept Sporting in the match until the final stretch.

Assistant coach Aitor Karanka directed Real Madrid from the sidelines while Jose Mourinho sat in the stands serving the first of a two-game ban for insulting the referee in Copa Del Rey win over Murcia midweek.

David Trezeguet and Royston Drenthe scored second-half goals to give Hercules their first win in five weeks, and Malaga beat Levante 1-0 after a goal from Eliseu for their first home win.