Almería 2 - Real Madrid 0

Almería: Diego Alves; Bruno, Carlos García, Pulido, Mané; Corona (José Ortíz 64'), Juanito, Felipe Melo; Juanma Ortíz (Soriano 81'), Negredo (Kalu Uche 77'), Crusat. 4-3-3.
Madrid: Casillas; Michel Salgado (Baptista 63'), Sergio Ramos, Cannavaro, Miguel Torres; Guti, Diarra, Sneijder (Balboa 75'); Raúl, Van Nistelrooy (Higuaín 46'), Robinho. 4-3-3.

Team changes: Almería: Crusat for Cisma / Madrid: Diarra, Sneijder for Gago, Baptista.

Goals:
1-0. 16. Juanito. Shot which Casillas cleared from inside goal following corner.
2-0. 47. Negredo (penalty). After Cannavaro brought down Negredo in area.

A surprise on the opening match of week 22, newly promoted Almería beating Real Madrid 2-0 to move up to seventh in the table and hand the league leaders their first defeat in three months. Unai Emery's side had won their last three games by a single goal, and a big crowd turned up to welcome the Merengues to the South coast town for the first time in over 20 years.

Raúl almost scored with a lob early on, but on the quarter hour mark Almería took the lead following a wide free kick from Corona, Cannavaro's clearance only going as far as Juanito, who fired a shot back into the net. Casillas punched the ball away, but referee Clos Gómez correctly ruled that the ball had crossed the line.

After that the local defence limited their opponents to a couple of chances, Robinho shooting at the keeper with Raúl better placed, and Guti firing in a long shot which Diego Alves had no problems with. And with the second half only minutes old Negredo made it two from the penalty spot after the ex Real Madrid Castilla striker had been brought down by Cannavaro.

Alves pulled out a magnificent save to keep out a Raúl header a few minutes later, and then stopped efforts from Robinho and Higuaín. And when he was beaten Negredo was tracking back to clear an effort from Sergio Ramos off the line. It was not Madrid's day though, and their lead could be cut to six points if Barcelona win on Sunday.