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:
BARCELONA 2 REAL SOCIEDAD 1
Barcelona moved clear of the danger zone and joined the battle for a place in the UEFA Cup place with this determined win over title contenders Sociedad.
Argentine striker Javier Saviola put the Catalans ahead when he skipped round keeper Sander Westerveld after running on to a measured through ball from compatriot Juan Roman Riquelme on 13 minutes.
Patrick Kluivert added the second nine minutes later with a powerful near post header after a fine cross from fellow Dutch international Marc Overmars.
Sociedad pulled one back near the end with a deflected free kick from Turkish forward Nihat Kahveci, but the Basque side looked well short of their best throughout.
CELTA VIGO 0 VALLADOLID 0
Celta's brief spell in fourth spot in the table lasted just a week after they failed to break down a heavily populated Valladolid defence.
Argentine winger Gustavo Lopez was one of the few Celta players to threaten with his runs on the left flank, but the home side never had the clear opportunities they needed to claim a win.
MALAGA 2 RACING SANTANDER 2
Honours even in a tightly-contested game at La Rosaleda with all four goals coming in an entertaining second half.
Striker Javi Guerrero put Racing ahead when he poked after keeper Pedro Contreras lost control of the ball when he collided with the post early in the second half. But Dely Valdes levelled the game two minutes later when he guided in from close range.
The Panamanian striker struck again to put Malaga into the lead when he netted at the second attempt soon after, but Racing refused to fold and Uruguayan forward Mario Reguerio beat the offside trap before guiding past Contreras to equalise seven minutes from time.
RAYO VALLECANO 0 ESPANYOL 3
A second successive heavy defeat for Rayo that leaves the Madrid-based side three points adrift at the bottom of the table, while Espanyol continue their revival by extending their unbeaten run to eight matches.
Espanyol took the lead late in the first half when centre forward Savo Milosevic guided home from three metres out after Rayo keeper Sergio Segura had palmed a Maxi Rodriguez shot into his path.
The Serbian striker grabbed his second with a neat chip two minutes after the break and Roger added a third with a 53-metre wonder goal in the 56th minute. The midfielder unleashed a brilliantly-struck shot from inside his own half and watched it sail into the top corner beyond the helpless Segura.
REAL MALLORCA 3 DEPORTIVO CORUNA 0
Deportivo's title hopes suffered a major setback with this costly away defeat to the islanders, who have now joined the race for a place in next season's UEFA Cup.
Cameroon international Samuel Eto'o opened for Mallorca with a fine diving header after just four minutes and the highly-rated Albert Riera extended the lead with a beautifully hit swerving volley soon after.
Deportivo never managed to cope with Mallorca's quick-breaking attacks and Eto'o wrapped up a thoroughly deserved victory when he put the finishing touch to a slick passing move midway through the second half.
RECREATIVO HUELVA 5 VILLARREAL 0
Recreativo took full advantage of two Villarreal sendings off to claim a handsome win that helped them out of the relegation zone for the first time this season.
Recre, who had failed to convert some good early chances, were given a double boost on 33 minutes when Villarreal defender Rodolfo Arruabarrena was sent off for a foul in the area and Raul Molina converted from the resulting spot kick.
Villarreal were reduced to nine men before the break when Brazilian defender Belletti was red carded for lashing out with his elbow. Recre made their numerical superiority count when midfielder Emilio Viqueiro grabbed a second-half double, the second a brilliant 45-metre lob.
Paraguayan defender Mariano Pernia rifled in a fourth from 20 metres on 84 minutes and forward Quique Romero completed the rout with another strike just before time.
SEVILLA 1 REAL MADRID 3
Real took full advantage of slip-ups by Deportivo and Sociedad with a valuable away win over Sevilla.
Defender Ivan Helguera put Real ahead with a far post header on 25 minutes after a deft cross from Zinedine Zidane, but Seville refused to buckle and gained a deserved equaliser when Francisco Gallardo netted with a similar effort just before the break.
But the Andalucians could not live with Real in the second half and Zidane put the leaders back in front when he beat the offside trap to clip home a pass from the impressive Guti. Substitute Fernando Morientes wrapped up when he poked home three minutes from time.
VALENCIA 3 ALAVES 0
Valencia got their domestic campaign back on track and rediscovered their scoring touch with a comprehensive win over a sorry-looking Alaves at the Mestalla.
French defender Anthony Reveillere put Valencia in front on 32 minutes with his first league goal for the club and midfielder Franciso Rufete added another early in the second half when he drilled home after a neat passing move.
Argentine midfielder Pablo Aimar completed an easy victory when he clipped in under keeper Richard Dutruel after Ruben Baraja had slipped a clever pass into his path on 68 minutes.
Played Saturday:
ATHLETIC BILBAO 3 REAL BETIS 1
Athletic fired in three goals at the end of the first half to come from behind and claim an important win that puts them in the race for a place in next season's UEFA Cup.
Betis took the lead against the run of play when leading striker Fernando headed in at the far post, but winger Joseba Etxeberria equalised on 36 minutes when he clipped in from close range after Ismael Urzaiz had headed a corner to his feet.
Striker Urzaiz grabbed one for himself with a trademark header five minutes later and Santi Ezquerro added a third before the break when he poked in after Toni Prats spilled a Francisco Yeste shot.
ATLETICO MADRID 0 OSASUNA 1
Osasuna striker Ivan Rosado spoiled Atletico's 100th birthday party with a 44th minute tap-in that gave the struggling Navarrans a major boost in their fight to avoid relegation.
Atletico appeared to be overawed rather than inspired by the celebrations that preceded the match. They lost striker Luis Garcia through injury early on and looked nervous throughout as they were pressured by their more determined opponents.
Rosado scored after Atletico keeper Juanma had palmed a Christian Manfredini shot into his path and even though Osasuna were reduced to 10 men when defender Cesar Cruchaga was sent off for a second yellow card with 20 minutes to go, Atletico were unable to stage a fight-back.