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A stunning stoppage time strike by Gonzalo Higuain helped Real Madrid stage a stunning comeback to beat local rivals Getafe 3-2 in a breathtaking La Liga derby.

Getafe twice took the lead - through former Real striker Roberto Soldado and Juan Angle Albín - and missed a penalty before Madrid staged a late comeback to win the game with a Guti free kick and Higuain's second of the night.

With league leaders Barcelona not playing Sevilla until Wednesday night, Madrid had the chance to cut the gap at the top of the league to three points.

Juande Ramos' side looked sluggish in the opening stages and could not get on the ball as the slick passing by Getafe gave them the upper hand early on.

Manu was causing problems for Madrid down the left flank and created the first chance for the visitors when he beat Pepe to swing in a cross but Soldado fired over.

The former Madrid frontman made up for that miss on 10 minutes when he headed Getafe into the lead.

Another former Bernabeu star - Esteban Granero - picked out Soldado in the middle of the penalty area, and he was able to head home past Iker Casillas unchallenged.

Getafe continued to press forward and should have doubled the lead midway through the first half when Jaime Gavilan played a perfectly weighted ball into the path of Soldado - but he fired into the side netting.

Madrid did not have their first chance on goal until the half hour mark when Klaas-Jan Huntelaar fired wide from a Raul knock down.

But Madrid did get back into the game on the stroke of half time when Fernando Gago's powerful header was flicked on by Raul into the path of Higuain who bundled the ball past Vladimir Stojkovic.

Ramos introduced Arjen Robben in the second half and he immediately injected some pace into the Madrid side - but his cameo lasted just 17 minutes as he was taken off with a muscle injury.

But Madrid were looking a far better side in the second half and should have taken the lead on 72 minutes when Guti played a brilliant ball through to Huntelaar who tried to take the ball round Stojkovic, but the Getafe keeper just managed to get a hand to it.

A minute later Soldado should have scored another header - but could not keep his effort from going over the bar.

In the final ten minutes the game took another twist. Juan Angle Albín fired Getafe into the lead with a brilliant strike from the edge of the area to give the visitors the lead.

But the game was level almost straight away when Guti fired in a brilliant free-kick, his curling effort gave Stojkovic no chance.

But from the kick-off Getafe when up the other end and won a penalty. A moment of madness from Pepe who pushed Francisco Casquero over in the box and then kicked him on the ground.

Pepe - who had already been booked - was shown a straight red card and looked to have thrown Real's title chances away.

Casquero picked himself up to take the spot kick but he will wish he hadn't as he chipped it without any power into the hands of Casillas.

In one final attack in the dying seconds of stoppage time the ball fell to Higuain, who fired a left footed thunderbolt into the top corner to win the game for Madrid.

It was a stunning strike to end a breathtaking game and the result piles the pressure on Barcelona to take maximum points against Sevilla.

James Andrew / Eurosport