Wellington - After nine years of liberal centre-left government, New Zealand has taken a decided swing to the right in Saturday's general election, but how far remains to be seen.

The conservative National Party's leader and prime minister-elect John Key says the organisation is "arguably more centrist and probably a little more pragmatic" since he became its leader two years ago.

Madrid - Real Madrid went to the top of the Spanish Liga on Saturday, albeit temporarily, with an epic ten-man 4-3 home win over midtable Malaga.

Real needed four goals from the in-form Gonzalo Higuain and one from to break the resistance of Malaga, who took the lead three times in the Estadio Bernabeu.

Bernd Schuster's injury-hit side had to play with 10 men from the 44th minute onwards, thanks to the sending-off of Euro 2008 hero Sergio Ramos.

Wellington - New Zealand awoke Sunday to the prospect of a new centre-right government to steer the country out of its worst recession for years after a general election dumped the Labour-led coalition that had ruled since 1999.

Saturday's election produced a sharp jump to the right, leaving prime minister-elect John Key, 47, leader of the conservative National Party, and his free market allies in the ACT party, to govern for the next three years.

Port-au-Prince

Milan - Torino edged visiting Palermo 1-0 Saturday in a pulsating game that opened the 10th round of Seria A at Turin's Stadio Olimpico.

Second-half Austrian substitute Juergen Saumel rewarded Torino's unrelenting pressing volleying home a lose ball from long-range with one minute left.

Torino had notched only three points from their last six games and moved clear of the lower reaches on 11 points, while Palermo remain safe on 16.

Brussels - Former world champion Tom Boonen on Saturday escaped uninjured after being involved in a car accident en route to the Brussels airport.

A Flamish TV station reported that the accident occurred when the 2005 world champion had to evade an oncoming car and ended up crashing into a tree.

VTM station reported police as saying that Boonen was uninjured but that the car had been damaged.