MADRID, 24 June 2003 — Real Madrid won the Spanish League title for the 29th time on Sunday as two goals from Ronaldo and a thunderous Roberto Carlos free kick earned them a 3-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao.
On a nerve-jangling final night of a long Spanish League season, second-placed Real Sociedad won 3-0 at home to Atletico Madrid to ensure that nothing less than victory would be good enough for Real Madrid.
With Real leading 2-1 at half-time in Madrid that was far from a formality, but a second strike from Ronaldo just past the hour mark gave them the breathing space they needed.
Real Madrid coach Vicente del Bosque had the luxury of substituting Ronaldo to an ear-splitting ovation in the closing minutes before his side were crowned champions amid a spectacular firework display at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
Real Madrid finish the season with 78 points from 38 matches, two points ahead of runners-up Real Sociedad.
While Real Madrid were celebrating their second league title in three years, Sociedad had to settle for second place despite a comfortable 3-0 win at home to Atletico with goals from Darko Kovacevic, Javi de Pedro and Nihat Kahveci.
Their consolation will be a place in the group stage of the Champions League, a remarkable achievement in itself after three years spent struggling against relegation.
Hernandez Puts Colombia
Into Cup Semifinals
In St. Etienne, France, playmaker Giovanni Hernandez sent Colombia into the Confederations Cup semifinals by rifling home the winner in a 1-0 victory over Japan in Group A on Sunday.
Colombia, who join group winners France in the last four, needed all three points at the Stade Geoffroy Guichard to go through and seized them in the 68th minute when Hernandez pounced after a mix-up in the Japanese midfield.
Japan, who had gone into the game requiring only a draw to qualify, leave the eight-nation tournament after having kept the South Americans in check before Hernandez’s strike and hitting the woodwork just after the re-start.
France, who next face the Group B runners-up, crushed New Zealand 5-0 in Sunday’s other tie in Paris. Colombia will play the winners of Group B, currently led by Cameroon, who have already qualified.
Colombia deserved their win for having chased the game against a well-organized Japan side who showed discipline at the back, until the blunder, and more class going forward.
Barcelona Appoint
Rijkaard as Coach
Barcelona appointed Dutchman Frank Rijkaard as coach on a four-year contract in place of Radomir Antic yesterday.
Serb coach Antic was told earlier yesterday that his contract would not be renewed, despite his achievement in guiding Barca to a UEFA Cup place for next season.
Antic replaced Louis van Gaal at the end of January when the club were three points off the relegation zone, but four successive wins at the end of the season took them up to sixth.
The decision to replace Antic with Rijkaard came on the first full day in charge for Joan Laporta following his landslide win in the club’s presidential election.
