Barca carry on stunning streak with 3-1 win over Malaga

 　　MADRID, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- FC Barcelona's incredible¹ start to the season as the Spanish BBVA Primera Liga season reached its halfway² point.

　　Goals from Leo Messi, Cesc Fabrigas and Thiago Alcantara set Barca on their way to a comfortable and convincing 3-1 win away to Malaga to give the Catalans 55 points from a possible 57 in the opening 19 games.

　　Tito Vilanova's side have won 18 matches and drawn³ just one and are on course to smash⁴ all the records in Spanish football. The result was never in doubt from the moment Messi opened the scoring after 27 minutes and the fact that Vilanova was on the bench to see the win after spending the week in New York for a second opinion on his cancer treatment was even more good news for the league leaders.

　　Atletico Madrid remain second following a comfortable home win over Zaragoza: Thiago Cardoso opened the scoring with a header after 31 minutes before Radamel Falcao doubled Atletico's lead from the penalty⁵ spot before the break.

　　The second half was a bit of a non-event as both sides looked to save their strength for next week's cup quarter finals.

　　Real Madrid remain third despite a dull 0-0 draw away to Osasuna. Real Madrid were without Cristiano Ronaldo and looked short of attacking ideas in a game they finished with 10 men after Kaka was shown two second half yellow cards in just over 15 minutes.

　　Betis continue with excellent season with a 2-0 win at home to Levante, who drop to eighth place in the table.

　　Joel Campbell and Ruben Castro scored the goals for the home side who reach the midway point in a position that would qualify⁶ them for next season's Champions League.

　　Rayo Vallecano's 2-1 win in Bilbao on Friday night has lifted the Madrid based side into a place that would take them into Europe as well. Lass put Rayo ahead early in the second half in San Mames, before Piti scored a penalty which should never have been given for a foul⁷ that was committed outside of the home side's penalty area.

　　Deportivo la Coruna appear to be recovering under new coach Domingos Paciencia and took a battling 1-1 draw away to Real Sociedad. Pizzi put the visitors ahead after 27 minutes, but Carlos Vela curled⁸ a fine equalizing goal home on the stroke⁹ of halftime.

　　Valencia are another club who are improving and the 2-0 home win over Sevilla, thanks to two goals from Roberto Soldado, lifts the club to seventh in the league table with a chance of making a push for Europe in the second half of the campaign. Valverde has revitalized the club since replacing Mauricio Pellegrino in December.

　　Espanyol are also on the up and climbed out of the relegation¹⁰ zone with a 1-0 win against Celta Vigo, who have dropped close to the bottom three following a bright start to the season.

　　Sergio Garcia's first half goal gave the points to Javier Aguirre's team, who have only lost once in the league since the Mexican arrived at the club.

　　Mallorca, however are now in real trouble after a 3-1 win in Valladolid, who had Patrick Ebert - who scored twice and set up Oscar Lopez for his side's remaining goal, to thank for the win.

　　The goal looked to be heading for a draw after Victor Casadesus cancelled out Ebert's opening goal, but Oscar and Ebert scored two goals in the last two minutes to give Valladolid their first win in five matches.

　　The round of matches ends on Monday when Getafe entertain third from bottom Granada.

1 incredible   

adj.难以置信的，不可信的，极好的，大量的

参考例句：

• Some planets run at incredible speed.某些星球以难以置信的速度运行着。
• Her answer showed the most incredible stupidity.她的回答显示出不可思议的愚蠢。

2 halfway   

adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途

参考例句：

• We had got only halfway when it began to get dark.走到半路，天就黑了。
• In study the worst danger is give up halfway.在学习上，最忌讳的是有始无终。

3 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

4 smash   

v.粉碎，打碎；n.轰动的演出，巨大的成功

参考例句：

• We heard the smash of plates breaking in the kitchen.我们听到厨房里盘子破碎的声音。
• The gifted author wrote one smash after another.这个天才作家创作了一篇又一篇轰动一时的作品。

5 penalty   

n.处罚，刑罚，罚款

参考例句：

• If you knock the ball with your hand in football,you will suffer a penalty.如果在踢足球时你用手碰到球，你将受到处罚。
• One of those arrested could face the death penalty.被捕的那些人中有一人可能被判死刑。

6 qualify   

vt.取得资格，有资格，限定，描述；vi.取得资格，有资格

参考例句：

• I won't qualify until next year.我明年才具备资格。
• You must qualify yourself for the post.你必须使自己具备担任这一工作的资格。

7 foul   

adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规

参考例句：

• Take off those foul clothes and let me wash them.脱下那些脏衣服让我洗一洗。
• What a foul day it is!多么恶劣的天气！

8 curled   

adj.卷曲的，卷发状的，卷缩的v.（使）弯曲( curl的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）卷曲；盘旋；缠绕

参考例句：

• She lay curled up in a foetal position . 她像胎儿一样蜷曲地躺着。
• The snake was curled up in the long grass. 在深草中，这条蛇盘着身子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 stroke   

n.笔画，击打，连续的动作，中风，心跳；vt.奉承，轻抚； vi.击打，心跳...

参考例句：

• He drove in a nail with one stroke of the hammer.他一锤就把钉子敲进去了。
• He broke the lock with one stroke of the hammer.他一锤就把锁砸坏了。

10 relegation   

n.驱逐，贬黜；降级

参考例句：

• Liaoning team lost this game, is still deeply avoid relegation zone. 辽宁队本场失利后，仍然深陷保级区。 来自互联网
• In society, relegation is based on your income. 社会上的规类是以你的收入为基准。 来自互联网