Primera Liga reports

Brief reports of Primera Liga matches played on Sunday:

ESPANYOL 2 REAL BETIS 2

Honours even in a keen contest between two sides bidding for a place in the Champions League.

The Catalans took the lead just before the half hour when an Ivan de la Pena free kick fooled everyone as it bounced in at the far post, but Betis equalised early in the second half when midfielder Marcos Assuncao drilled in after Espanyol keeper Carlos Kameni had flapped at an Edu cross.

Espanyol looked to have snatched the win when skipper Raul Tamudo smashed home from the penalty spot after he was bowled over in the area, but Betis striker Fernando levelled the game three minutes from time w.ith a fine glancing header.

OSASUNA 1 DEPORTIVO CORUNA 1

Deportivo fell behind against a dominant Osasuna when centre-back Pablo Amo bundled into his own net after Cameroon forward Pierre Webo had fired in a cross from the left 20 minutes after the break.

But the Galicians salvaged an away point when midfielder Sergio snapped home from close range after Osasuna failed to clear a Juan Carlos Valeron free kick three minutes from time.

NUMANCIA 1 REAL MADRID 2

A nervy victory for Real over basement side Numancia that owed much to a trademark free kick from David Beckham and another outstanding performance from keeper Iker Casillas.

Numancia had the better chances of the first half, but were frustrated by the excellent Casillas whose top class saves included a full-stretch effort to stop a 34th-minute penalty from Luis Tevenet.

Beckham eventually put Real ahead when he curled a free kick into the far corner from 25 metres out and defender Michel Salgado made it 2-0 when he guided home after a neat through-ball from Michael Owen. A late header from Miguel Lopez kept Real sweating until the end.

RACING SANTANDER 2 LEVANTE 2

A 76th minute penalty from striker David Aganzo allowed Racing to come from behind to grab a valuable draw that lifted them out of the relegation zone.

Javi Guerrero put Racing ahead on the stroke of halftime when he curled in from 10 metres out after a miscued shot had squirted into his path, but Levante hit back with two goals early in the second half.

Nacho made it 1-1 with a thundering 20-metre shot after a poor clearance and fellow midfielder Juanma Gomez added another eight minutes later with a deflected free kick from just outside the area.

Both sides were reduced to 10 men in the closing minutes, Levante losing defender Pablo Pinillos and opposite number Juanma Delgado following him down the tunnel five minutes later.

REAL MALLORCA 3 GETAFE 1

A first win in seven games for troubled Mallorca, but Hector Cuper's side still remain mired in the relegation zone.

The islanders took the lead in the 10th minute when Luis Garcia lashed home from the spot after Getafe centre-back Nano conceded a penalty for pushing Sergio Ballesteros in the area.

Getafe equalised midway through the half when Yordi nodded in after a fine cross from midfielder Mario Cotelo, but Venezuelan striker Juan Arango restored the Mallorca lead before the break when he slotted into the open net after Garcia had provided a neat assist.

Garcia made sure of the Mallorca victory and helped himself to a second seven minutes after the break when he rounded the keeper after beating the offside trap.

REAL SOCIEDAD 0 VILLARREAL 4

Midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme and striker Diego Forlan steered form side Villarreal to a fourth straight win over a sorry-looking Sociedad who have now lost five in a row.

Forlan broke the deadlock when he cracked in from 10 metres out in the 58th minute, he then provided the scoring pass for Riquelme to make it 2-0 before helping himself to his second, and 13th of the season, eight minutes from time.

Former AC Milan and Atletico Madrid forward Jose Mari completed the rout with a virtuoso effort in stoppage time.

REAL ZARAGOZA 1 MALAGA 0

A solitary strike from Zaragoza midfielder Cani brought an end to Antonio Tapia's two-match winning streak after taking over as Malaga manager.

Cani scored the winner on 16 minutes when he guided in from 15 metres out after snapping up a rebound from a David Villa shot after a succession of errors in the Malaga defence.

Second-half dismissals for Malaga forward Edgar and midfielder Dudu completed a disappointing night for the Andalucians.

VALENCIA 2 ATHLETIC BILBAO 2

Valencia fought back from two goals down to claim a point in a pulsating match at the Mestalla but still ended up losing ground on leading duo Barcelona and Real Madrid.

The home side were unlucky to fall behind when Bilbao midfielder Andoni Iraola lashed home from the spot after the referee penalised defender Marco Caneira for what appeared to be an accidental handball in the 31st minute.

The Basques stretched their lead on the hour, Santi Ezquerro controlling the ball with his left foot and volleying in with his right from five metres. But Mista pulled one back with a close range header and strike partner Marco Di Vaio grabbed a deserved equaliser with another header seven minutes from time.

Played Saturday:

ATLETICO MADRID 3 ALBACETE 1

Visitors Albacete scored the goal of the day when forward Franciso gave them the lead with a spectacular 45-metre strike after spotting Atletico keeper Leo Franco off his line.

But it was to no avail as Atletico equalised within nine minutes when leading striker Fernando Torres smashed home from the spot after a dubious penalty.

Playmaker Ariel Ibagaza made it 2-1 with a precise shot at the far post and former Albacete defender Pablo Ibanez wrapped up the points with a fine angled header on the stroke of halftime to give Atletico their first win in five outings.

SEVILLA 0 BARCELONA 4

The scoreline does little to reflect what was a delicately balanced encounter between two attack-minded sides, but the result meant a first home defeat for Sevilla and an important away win for the leaders.

Sevilla had several chances to open the scoring and two strong penalty appeals turned down before Samuel Eto'o used his electrifying pace to break the deadlock four minutes into the second half.

The unlucky Julio Baptista headed into his own net after a corner six minutes later, Ronaldinho added a third by dinking the ball home after good work by Eto'o and French winger Ludovic Giuly finished off with a coolly taken fourth after 73 minutes.