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MADRID. — Real Madrid took advantage of Atletico Madrid’s first defeat of the season at Sevilla to move to the top of the Spanish La Liga soccer table as Alvaro Morata struck a late winner to secure a 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao on Sunday. Steven N’Zonzi struck Sevilla’s winner 17 minutes from time to seal a 1-0 win at a soggy Sanchez Pizjuan. Real lead Sevilla by a point and Barcelona and Villarreal by two at the top of the table.

Atletico, who started the weekend top, slip to fifth, three points back on their city rivals. “We are not going to have easy matches and we will have to fight until the end,” said Real boss Zinedine Zidane. “That is the message I transmit to my players and today we believed and didn’t give up in the difficult moments.”

Madrid couldn’t have hoped for a better start when Enric Saborit’s slip allowed Isco to tee up Karim Benzema for a simple finish after just seven minutes. However, Real’s defensive deficiencies surfaced once more when Athletic levelled in scrappy fashion as Javier Eraso’s tenacity won the ball inside the Madrid box for Merino to slot home. — AFP.