REAL Madrid stumbled to a costly 1-1 draw with Villarreal at home Sunday to tighten the Spanish league title race.

    Cristiano Ronaldo gave Madrid the lead in the 52nd minute with a penalty he earned and converted. But Madrid squandered Ronaldo’s league-leading 30th goal of the season when it conceded a goal to Villarreal striker Gerard Moreno.

    Carlo Ancelotti’s side still had 25 minutes left to push for a winner in a back-and-forth finale.

    And even though Ronaldo went close three times to getting a second goal, Madrid also could have lost if not for goalkeeper Iker Casillas’ late save to deny Luciano Vietto.

    Madrid inched two points ahead of Barcelona with the fierce rivals approaching their clash at Camp Nou in three rounds.

    “We dropped two points, but we must make good the advantage we still have,” said Ancelotti. “As I said before, the league will come down to the last round.”

    Atletico Madrid remained seven points adrift in third despite also drawing 0-0 at fifth-place Sevilla.(SD-Agencies)