By Siyabonga Ntshingila ;

Cristiano Ronaldo netted in the final minute of regulation time to give Real Madrid a fortunate 3-2 win over a game Osasuna Side in the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday. The visitors twice led, and spurned an opportunity for a third, but Madrid showed character to equalise each time before winning the match at the death.

Carlos Aranda opened the scoring in the 7th minute finding himself unattended to by the Los Merengues defence and he coolly rounded Iker Casilaas to sun the Bernabeu faithful. Cristiano Ronaldo restored their hopes in the 23rd minute when he took advantage of n odd “running backwards at full tilt” defensive style by Osasuna to beat Ricardo at his near post with a low shot.

Real’s lasses faire approach to defending saw Aranda again in yards of space and he laid off for teammate Krisztian Vadocz to beat Iker Casillas with a thundering near post drive, advantage Osasuna and the Bernabeu in disbelief yet more. Marcello spared Madrid halftime blushes with a well taken header to restore parity just before the interval whistle sounded. Aranda had a double chance go amiss when first Casillas superbly saved his header, before he miscued his rebound.

Vadocz and Masoud then combined for easily the worst execution of a two one you will ever see when after springing a Madrid offside trap and Vadocz doing well to draw Iker Casillas, he then laid on a poor pass to his teammate Masoud, who contrived to miss what should have been a tap in from barely seven yards out.

Catalan groans were heard halfway across the world as Madrid were handed a lifeline to not just the match but the whole league title campaign. Cristiano Ronaldo then sealed the win with a far post header that saw him crashing into the upright but such was his euphoria that he brushed it off and ran off celebrating.

Barcelona who won 4-1 at Villareal still lead the La Liga standings by a single point over Real.