Primera Liga reports

Brief reports of Primera Liga matches played over the weekend:

Played on Sunday

CELTA VIGO 0 VALENCIA 2

Valencia grabbed their first league win in 10 seasons in Vigo to close to within four points of league leaders Real Madrid.

Midfielder Francisco Rufete scored twice, volleying in from 10 metres out after keeper Pablo Cavallero had spilled a Miguel Angel Angulo free kick five minutes before the break and finishing off a swift counterattack by blasting into the net in injury time.

A fourth defeat in a row leaves Radomir Antic's Celta in deep trouble, five points adrift of Mallorca in 18th place in the 20-team division.

ESPANYOL 0 RACING SANTANDER 1

After two wins in a row, Espanyol's bid to escape from the relegation zone suffered a serious setback with this narrow home defeat against mid-table Racing.

Racing midfielder Fernando Moran scored the only goal of the game 12 minutes into the second half when he smacked in at the near post after Espanyol failed to clear their lines.

MALAGA 2 ATHLETIC BILBAO 1

A last-gasp strike from the in-form Salva Ballesta earned the Andalucians a comeback win against fifth-placed Bilbao.

Aitor Larrazabal gave the visitors the lead from the penalty spot seven minutes before the break after winger Joseba Etxeberria was adjudged to have been brought down by keeper Francesc Arnau.

Malaga midfielder Jose Juan Luque equalised with a floated cross-shot early in the second half and Salva grabbed the winner, and lifted his tally for the season to 16, by finishing off a rapid counter attack with an improvised shot from the edge of the area.

MURCIA 0 BARCELONA 2

Barca overtook Deportivo Coruna and moved to third in the table after notching their eighth league win in a row.

Argentine striker Javier Saviola got the Catalans off to a flying start when he bundled in at the far post after five minutes and Brazilian playmaker Ronaldinho made sure of the win when he picked his spot from the edge of the box after a great run by Marc Overmars on the left.

REAL BETIS 1 OSASUNA 1

Midfielder Benjamin put Betis ahead when he caught Osasuna keeper Ricardo Sanzol out of position with a sweetly struck 20-metre free kick just after the half-hour.

However Osasuna earned themselves a valuable away point to stay in the hunt for a UEFA Cup spot when Australian striker John Aloisi scored from three metres out at the second attempt during a goalmouth scramble after a Pablo Garcia free kick.

REAL MALLORCA 4 DEPORTIVO CORUNA 2

A costly away defeat that may well have put paid to Deportivo's title hopes.

The Galicians fell behind to a Fernando Correa volley in the seventh minute and, although they pulled level when winger Pedro Munitis netted from close range on 23 minutes, they never looked comfortable against the islanders.

Mallorca defender Ivan Ramis restored Mallorca's lead with an angled header nine minutes before the break and Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o put the home side 3-1 ahead with a penalty early in the second half.

Deportivo substitute Djalminha pulled one back nine minutes from time, but Mallorca forward Jesus Parera put the result beyond doubt when he drilled home after Eto'o had battled his way through the midfield.

VALLADOLID 2 SEVILLA 0

Valladolid kept themselves clear of the danger zone with a second win in a row against an out-of-sorts Sevilla.

Defender Jonathan outjumped the Sevilla defence to head in from a corner early in the second half and midfielder Jesus added a second, netting from the penalty spot nine minutes later after Fernando Alves had been brought down in the area.

VILLARREAL 2 ALBACETE 1

Villarreal came from behind to end their three-match losing run and renew their hopes of claiming a European berth.

Striker Antonio Pacheco put Albacete ahead with a fine first-time shot on five minutes, but Villarreal defender Fabrizio Coloccini equalised with a diving header at the far post early in the second half.

Albacete missed their chance to regain their lead when Fabiano fluffed a penalty and, four minutes later, Brazilian striker Sonny Anderson snatched the winner when he fired in from six metres out after a rebound.

Played Saturday:

REAL MADRID 1 REAL ZARAGOZA 1

Only the second time Real have dropped points at home this season in a match that was meant to be dress rehearsal for next Wednesday's Cup final, but ended up being overshadowed by this week's bomb attacks in the city.

Real took the lead when reserve striker Javier Portillo headed in at the far post just before the half hour, but Zaragoza equalised four minutes later when Paraguayan defender Delio Toledo popped up at the far post to nod in with an angled header.

Zaragoza finished strongly and had several good chances to claim all three points late in the game.

REAL SOCIEDAD 2 ATLETICO MADRID 1

Sociedad claimed their first win in six outings with a 2-1 victory over Atletico Madrid that enabled them to pull well clear of the danger zone.

Sociedad went 2-0 up before the break, midfielder Valery Karpin scoring from the penalty spot after striker Darko Kovacevic had been tugged back and Atletico defender Diego Simeone turning into his own net four minutes later.

Atletico pulled one back with 19 minutes to go when Veljko Paunovic scored with a well taken header, but Sociedad held on despite being reduced to 10 men in injury time with the sending- off of midfielder Bittor Alkiza.