Spanish first division reports
Brief reports of matches played in the Spanish first division on Sunday:
Brief reports of matches played in the Spanish first division on Sunday:
ATLETICO MADRID 2 MALAGA 1
Atletico got the better of UEFA Cup quarter-finalists Malaga in a breathless match at the Calderon thanks to well-taken goals from Luis Garcia and 18-year-old striker Fernando Torres.
Garcia opened with an unstoppable rocket shot on 14 minutes and Torres added a second with a classy individual effort straight after the break, although Dario Silva pulled one back for Malaga 13 minutes later.
Things looked to be turning against the home side when Garcia was dismissed for his second booking soon after, but Silva followed him down the tunnel three minutes later when he too picked up a second card and Atletico managed to hold out for the win in a frantic final quarter.
CELTA VIGO 1 VALENCIA 1
Valencia failed to make the most of Real Sociedad's slip-up at Valladolid after they were held to a 1-1 draw at Balaidos.
Norwegian striker John Carew gave Rafa Benitez's side an early lead when he poked in at the far post after a deft chip from Mista, but Celta hit back four minutes later when Brazilian midfielder Edu escaped his markers and clipped in a Jesuli free kick.
OSASUNA 2 BARCELONA 2
Barcelona were deprived of a third straight league win by an injury-time goal from Osasuna midfielder Gerardo Rivero.
Argentine striker Javier Saviola put Barca ahead when he rifled home from the edge of the box three minutes after the break, but Osasuna pulled level soon after when Ivan Rosado netted with a brilliant twisting header.
Barca looked to be heading for victory when substitute Luis Enrique clipped in four minutes from time after he had latched on to a neat through-ball from Juan Roman Riquelme, but Osasuna refused to throw in the towel and Rivero netted with a last-gasp rebound.
RACING SANTANDER 1 DEPORTIVO CORUNA 2
Roy Makaay notched his 19th goal of the season as he helped Deportivo to an important away win that helped them close to within a point of third-placed Valencia.
The Dutch striker opened the scoring with a simple tap-in after some great work by midfielder Sergio, but Racing refused to buckle and got back in the game when substitute Rodolfo Bodipo scored with his first touch a minute after the break.
Depor coach Javier Irureta then threw on his own super-sub Albert Luque who grabbed the winner with a classy finish nine minutes from time.
VALLADOLID 3 REAL SOCIEDAD 0
Raynald Denoueix's side lost the leadership for the first time in 18 games as they shipped three goals inside a whirlwind first 20 minutes against ambitious Valladolid.
Valladolid's Uruguayan striker Nico Olivera made the most of some poor defending to net twice in the first seven minutes and the impressive young midfielder Oscar headed in a third soon after to leave the Basque side reeling.
Sociedad centre forward Darko Kovacevic had several good chances in the second half, but the big Yugoslav striker had a rare off day as he failed to find the target.
VILLARREAL 2 RAYO VALLECANO 1
New signing Antonio de Nigris could not have made a more impressive debut for Villarreal as he popped up to head home the winner just a minute from time.
Midfielder Antonio Guayre made the most of a fine pass from Javier Farinos and some poor Rayo defending to put the home side into the lead on 23 minutes.
Rayo pulled level midway through the second half when Luis Cembranos scored from the penalty spot after Jon Perez Bolo had been hauled down in the area, but De Nigris condemned the Madrid-based side to a costly defeat with his late header.
Playing later:
Real Betis vs. Sevilla
Played Saturday:
ALAVES 1 REAL MADRID 5
World Player of the Year Ronaldo notched his first hat-trick since joining Real Madrid as the European champions thrashed a sorry-looking Alaves at the Mendizorroza stadium.
The Brazilian claimed his first on 12 minutes after a dizzying series of shimmies split open the Alaves defence. Raul added a trademark opportunist strike before halftime and Ronaldo made it 3-0 with a carbon copy of his first on 66 minutes.
Alaves managed to pull one back with an Ivan Alonso header, but Ronaldo raced away for his third a minute later and Raul chipped in before the end with another neat finish to complete a devastating victory for Vicente del Bosque's side.
ATHLETIC BILBAO 2 RECREATIVO HUELVA 3
Three goals inside the first 20 minutes were enough to ensure basement club Recreativo their second away win of the season and give them a valuable boost ahead of next week's King's Cup semi-final second leg against Osasuna.
Former youth player Ignacio Benitez began the spree on seven minutes and fellow forward Quique Romero extended Recreativo's lead soon after when he cracked home from close range.
Xisco completed Recre's dream start with a third on 19 minutes, but Bilbao recovered their nerve after the break and goals from defender Asier del Horno and midfielder Santi Ezquerro set up a nervous finish.
Del Horno was sent off for hitting out at defender Loren nine minutes from time.
ESPANYOL 2 REAL MALLORCA 0
Espanyol earned their first win in five outings thanks to a fine first half performance against an out-of-sorts Mallorca who have now gone seven matches without a win, but it was still not enough to lift Javier Clemente's side out of the drop zone.
Nippy striker Raul Tamudo grabbed the first on 32 minutes when he fended off two defenders before drilling home into the far corner.
Former Barcelona midfielder Oscar added a second just before the break when he reacted quickly to poke home a Cyrille Domoraud pass. Goalkeeper Toni produced a string of sharp second-half saves to keep the Mallorca strikers at bay.