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Chelsea edges Charlton, celebrates title
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-05-08 09:41

Claude Makelele scored on a rebound of his penalty kick in the second minute of injury time Saturday, helping Chelsea celebrate its first league championship trophy in 50 years by beating Charlton 1-0.

Chelsea (28-1-7) has 91 points and can set a record for top-level English soccer if it wins one more game or ties its remaining two. Manchester United set the record of 92 points in 1994.

Makelele, in his second season with Chelsea, scored his first goal for the team minutes before the Blues were handed the English Premier League trophy. Chelsea was awarded the shot after Frank Lampard had gone down inside the penalty area. Makelele's penalty kick was blocked by Charlton goalkeeper Stephan Anderssen, but the former France midfielder followed with the rebound.

Chelsea missed two earlier opportunities — Anderssen pushed Joe Cole's shot onto the crossbar and John Terry's header hit the post.

"My kids are so small they think I win every year because every season they see their father is a champion," said Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, who joined the Blues last June after leading Portugal's FC Porto to the Champions League title. "One day they have to come down to reality because their father can't win every season."

U.S. forward Brian McBride scored a goal past countryman Brad Friedel to lead Fulham to a 3-1 win at Blackburn.

At the bottom of the standings, Norwich moved away from last place and out of the relegation zone with a 1-0 victory over Birmingham. Two other relegation candidates, Crystal Palace and Southampton, tied 2-2.

Last-place West Bromwich Albion surprisingly held Manchester United to a 1-1 tie, making sure the relegation struggle goes down to the final round next weekend. Ryan Giggs scored for United from a free kick, but Robbie Earnshaw tied it with a penalty kick.

Real Madrid post 7 straight win

Ronaldo and Raul Gonzalez scored two goals each to help Real Madrid beat Racing Santander 5-0 and improve its chances of catching Barcelona in the Spanish league title race.

Madrid, which has won seven straight, moved within three points of the leaders. Barcelona can reclaim its six-point advantage if it beats defending champion Valencia on Sunday.

Ronaldo, who has scored eight goals in his last five matches, has 20 goals this season, two less than league-leading scorer Samuel Eto'o of Barcelona. Michael Owen scored Madrid's first goal, his 12th of the season.

Barcelona leads the league with 78 points and four games left, while Real Madrid has 75 with three games remaining.

Earlier, Athletic Bilbao moved closer to a spot in next season's UEFA Cup after beating Zaragoza 2-0. Ismael Urzaiz scored his 12th goal of the season for Bilbao.

Makaay's hat trick give Bayern 4-2 win

Roy Makaay scored three goals for the second straight game to help Bundesliga champion Bayern Munich beat Mainz 4-2.

Makaay also scored a hat trick in last week's 4-0 win over Kaiserslautern, which secured the title. He has 19 goals this season, second in the league behind Marek Mintal's 23 for Nuremberg.

Michael Ballack also scored for Bayern.

Schalke and Stuttgart won to stay in the race for second place and a spot in next season's Champions League. Bochum and Hansa Rostock both lost and look certain to join Freiburg in dropping to the second division.

Rangers reclaimed first place

Rangers reclaimed first place in the Scottish Premier League by beating Hearts 2-1. Thomas Buffel and Marvin Andrews scored for Rangers. Andrews also scored for Hearts on an own-goal.

Celtic can regain first place Sunday if it beats Aberdeen.



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