Primera Liga reports

Brief reports of soccer matches played in the Primera Liga over the weekend:

Played Sunday:

CELTA VIGO 0 REAL ZARAGOZA 2

Celta are in deep trouble after yet another defeat left them four points adrift of safety but Cup winners Zaragoza now look to have done enough to have ensured another season in the top flight.

The game looked to be heading for a draw until Celta had defender Fernando Caceres sent off for a second booking and Zaragoza took instant advantage when centre-back Alvaro headed in from the ensuing free kick.

Striker Yordi compounded Celta's misery when he guided home unopposed after midfielder Luciano Galletti had slipped a fine pass behind the defence.

MALAGA 1 ALBACETE 1

A valuable away point for modest Albacete, who took the lead when Brazilian midfielder Fabiano Costa poked home from three metres out after Malaga keeper Francesc Arnau had spilled an apparently harmless free kick just before the half hour mark.

Malaga substitute Diego Alonso earned his side a draw when he swept past keeper Manuel Alumnia after a neat pass from fellow striker Salva Ballesta.

MURCIA 2 REAL MALLORCA 0

Basement side Murcia recorded only their third victory since returning to the top flight, a result that did little to improve their chances of avoiding the drop and left out-of-form Mallorca only two points above the relegation zone.

Argentine midfielder Jose Luis Acciari put John Toshack's side ahead in the 18th minute when he flicked a header over the Mallorca defence and into the net following a corner.

Midfielder Michel made it 2-0 early in the second half after his 20-metre free kick bounced in front of Franco and hopped up into the net.

RACING SANTANDER 0 VALENCIA 3

Rafa Benitez's men produced yet another irresistible away performance to pile the pressure on Real Madrid.

Spanish international winger Vicente saw his angled cross ricochet off a defender and end up in the net in the ninth minute and went on to put his side 2-0 up when he drilled home with his left foot on the stroke of halftime.

He completed his virtuoso performance 14 minutes from time when he picked up a long pass, cut inside two defenders and fired in low at the near post.

REAL BETIS v BARCELONA

Match postponed because of a waterlogged pitch.

REAL MADRID 5 SEVILLA 1

Real withstood the pressure from Valencia and stayed top of the table as they stormed their way to an authoritative win over Sevilla.

Midfielder Santiago Solari opened the scoring after just six minutes with a fine finish after a great through-ball from David Beckham and the England captain then supplied the cross for Ronaldo to head home Real's second on the stroke of halftime.

Sevilla pulled one back with a Julio Baptista penalty after the break but it only served to spark Real into further action.

Zinedine Zidane dinking in his side's third, defender Michel Salgado smashing in a fourth and Ronaldo wrapping up with a mesmerising fifth.

VALLADOLID 1 OSASUNA 1

Osasuna moved up into a UEFA Cup place after Uruguayan striker Richard Morales earned his side a point with a late strike when he pounced on the ball following a mistake in the Valladolid defence.

Forward Roberto Losada had given Valladolid the lead in the 18th minute when he bundled the ball in at the far post after Osasuna keeper Ricardo Sanzol had palmed a deflected cross on to his chest.

VILLARREAL 0 ATLETICO MADRID 0

Missing several key players through suspension and still feeling the effects of their hard-earned UEFA Cup win over AS Roma in midweek, Villarreal did well to earn a draw against a dogged Atletico.

Atletico striker Fernando Torres hit the post early on and opposite number Sonny Anderson did the same a few minutes later. Despite a host of opportunities neither side could break the deadlock.

Played Saturday:

REAL SOCIEDAD 1 DEPORTIVO CORUNA 2

A last-minute own goal handed Deportivo a lucky away win. Depor took the lead after 11 minutes through striker Walter Pandiani but Sociedad equalised just before the break when Turkey international Nihat Kahveci blasted home with a fine half volley.

Sociedad defender Aitor Lopez Rekarte stripped his side of a deserved point when his attempted clearance flew into the top of the net in the second minute of injury time.

ESPANYOL 2 ATHLETIC BILBAO 1

Espanyol notched up a surprise win thanks to two goals from captain Raul Tamudo. In the second minute Tamudo collected a pass from midfield and smashed a shot high into the net.

Bilbao's Jesus Maria Lacruz was sent off for a second booking on 78 minutes and fellow defender Luis Prieto joined him in the dressing room soon after when he conceded a penalty for holding Espanyol striker Maxi Rodriguez.

Tamudo converted the resulting spot kick and Espanyol's victory was never in serious danger even though defender Mauricio Pochettino deflected a Santi Ezquerro shot into his own net in injury time.