Primera Liga reports

Brief reports of Primera Liga matches played on Sunday:

ALBACETE 1 REAL MADRID 2

Second-placed Real Madrid narrowed the gap on leaders Barcelona to nine points before next weekend's meeting between the top two in the Bernabeu.

They were made to work hard for it by Albacete who took a shock early lead through Pablo Redondo after only nine minutes.

Ivan Helguera headed the equaliser six minutes later and England striker Michael Owen, given a rare start in place of Raul, stroked home the second just before the break after being put through on goal by Guti.

ATLETICO MADRID 4 REAL MALLORCA 0

Relegation-threatened Real Mallorca self-destructed against Atletico as Sergio Ballesteros and Iuliano were both sent off in the second half.

Gonzalo Colsa's 30-metre shot gave Atletico a narrow advantage before the break, but they finally cruised to victory as Fernando Torres converted a 60th-minute penalty, and Salva Ballesta added a brace in the final minutes.

BARCELONA 3 REAL BETIS 3

Giovanni van Bronckhorst's injury-time equaliser completed Barcelona's fightback from 3-1 down against a Real Betis side who had played with 10 men from the 14th minute.

Defender David Rivas hauled back Deco in the area and was sent off, allowing Samuel Eto'o to level the scores at 1-1 from the penalty spot, after Joaquin had given Betis an early lead.

Ricardo Oliveira and Joaquin added a second and a third for Betis, either side of the break, but Barca won their second penalty, seven minutes from time, enabling Eto'o to claim his 20th goal of the season.

LEVANTE 0 DEPORTIVO CORUNA 1

Striker Diego Tristan kept Deportivo Coruna in the hunt for the European places, stabbing home Victor's nod down from close range just before the interval.

Deportivo remain four points short of the UEFA Cup places in ninth, while Levante continue to hover near the bottom.

MALAGA 1 GETAFE 1

Fernando Baiano scored a great individual goal to put Malaga in front after only 14 minutes, curling in a shot from the edge of the area.

But defender Nano earned a point for Getafe, who finished with 10 men when Yordi was dismissed near the end, hooking a spectacular shot over his shoulder after 32 minutes.

RACING SANTANDER 1 ESPANYOL 3

Espanyol moved up to fifth in the table and left 16th-placed Racing Santander looking nervously over their shoulders at the teams near the foot of the table.

Striker Raul Tamudo scored Espanyol's first from the penalty spot, while Daniel Jarque thumped home a header for the second before the break. and Maxi Rodriguez rounded the keeper soon after the interval to make the points safe.

A Yossi Benayoun header had put Racing level after 34 minutes.

SEVILLA 1 NUMANCIA 0

Rock-bottom Numancia all but said goodbye to their hopes of avoiding relegation as they fell to Adriano's second half volley.

Sevilla, who move up to sixth, created enough chances to have scored more but missed leading scorer Julio Baptista.

Played on Saturday:

REAL SOCIEDAD 2 OSASUNA 0

Real Sociedad scored twice in three minutes just before the break to condemn relegation-haunted Osasuna to their 12th consecutive league defeat.

Midfielder Valery Karpin created the first for striker Gari Uranga, with a defence-splitting pass, and Uranga quickly returned the favour setting up Karpin, as Sociedad capitalised on a poor back pass.

REAL ZARAGOZA 2 VALENCIA 2

Valencia slipped out of the European places despite staging a dramatic fightback from 2-0 down to earn a point.

Substitute Bernardo Corradi pounced on a defensive error to pull a goal back for the visitors in the 81st minute, and Marco Caneira stroked home the leveller soon after, before being sent off for a second yellow card offence.

Zaragoza had taken the lead just before the break with a 30-metre strike from David Generelo, and added to their lead when David Albelda headed Savio's cross into his own net five minutes after the re-start.

VILLARREAL 3 ATHLETIC BILBAO 1

Villarreal strengthened their grip on a Champions League place next season, as they overran Athletic Bilbao to go third in the table.

Two goals from striker Jose Mari, and a third from Uruguay striker Diego Forlan, his 18th of the season, were too much for Athletic who had levelled the scores at 1-1 through Santi Ezquerro midway through the first half.