Efficient Deportivo keep pressure on top two
A first-half double from midfielder Victor helped third-placed Deportivo Coruna keep the pressure on the leading duo in the Primera Liga with an efficient 2-0 win at home to Osasuna on Sunday.
A first-half double from midfielder Victor helped third-placed Deportivo Coruna keep the pressure on the leading duo in the Primera Liga with an efficient 2-0 win at home to Osasuna on Sunday.
The right winger opened his account when he drilled in from 20 metres out, after striker Diego Tristan had supplied him with a neat headed pass on 23 minutes.
A quarter of an hour later, he extended his side's lead when he guided in at the far post to complete a superbly executed counter-attack that had started just outside the Depor area.
Osasuna were reduced to 10 men when midfielder Pablo Garcia was sent off for a foul on Juan Carlos Valeron and Victor was denied a hat-trick when he had a third goal ruled out for a borderline offside late in the game.
Depor are now just a point behind Valencia and three adrift of leaders Real Madrid, with the top two playing each other later on Sunday.
Barcelona continued their fine run of form with their fifth win in sixth games and consolidated their fourth position in the table with a fine 3-1 win at home to Atletico Madrid.
Pint-sized Argentine striker Javier Saviola got the Catalans off to the perfect start when he made the most of some slack defending by Atletico, guiding in at the near post on 10 minutes.
Atletico hit back when Greek striker Demis Nikolaidis turned in a fine cross from close range midway through the half, but Ronaldinho restored Barca's lead with a brilliant chip three minutes later after a sharp one-two with Philip Cocu.
Barca went further ahead two minutes before the break, former Atletico forward Luis Garcia powering in a header at the far post following a pin-point cross from Saviola.
Frank Rijkaard's side continued to dominate in the second period, despite Dutch midfielder Edgar Davids being sent off in the 68th minute for picking up a second yellow card.
There were goals galore in the rest of Sunday's early games, with Villarreal recording their highest ever score in the top flight with a thrilling 6-3 win over Racing Santander and Malaga ending their six-match losing run with a 5-2 thrashing of lowly Espanyol.