Spanish first division reports
Reports of Spanish first division matches played on Sunday:
Reports of Spanish first division matches played on Sunday:
ALAVES 2 ATHLETIC BILBAO 4
Athletic Bilbao stayed in control of the final UEFA Cup place, and left Alaves in deep relegation trouble, with this derby win.
Alaves conceded the opener to Francisco Yeste on 19 minutes but came back with two goals in three minutes, Magno Mocelin rounding the keeper and providing a neat finish and Mauricio Astudillo striking with a left-foot volley.
Ismael Urzaiz equalised with a trademark header after 57 minutes and three minutes later the game changed with Magno's sending-off. Joseba Etxeberria capitalised with two goals to earn Bilbao victory.
BARCELONA 1 REAL MALLORCA 2
Barcelona's hopes of European football for next season faded further with a limp performance against Mallorca, who are still very much in the hunt for a UEFA Cup berth.
Alvaro Novo's shot deflected in off Patrick Kluivert to put Mallorca ahead after 23 minutes. Barcelona finally started to threaten in the second half and Kluivert redeemed himself by blasting in after two fine passes from Juan Roman Riquelme and Gabri.
Barcelona pushed forward for a winner but were hit on the break two minutes from time as Ariel Ibagaza supplied a brilliant pass for Carlos to run on and chip the keeper.
OSASUNA 2 REAL BETIS 1
Osasuna took a 2-1 lead late in the first half and held on throughout the second to claim a win that takes them three points clear of the relegation places.
Betis, chasing a UEFA Cup place, went ahead on 26 minutes as Juanito headed in from a corner. Osasuna hit back almost immediately with Moha's deft chip over the keeper and Patxi Punal scored what turned out to be the winner from the penalty spot five minutes before the break.
REAL MADRID 5 MALAGA 1
Real Madrid brushed aside all talk of crisis at the club following their Champions League semi-final defeat by Juventus in midweek by claiming a stylish win that took them up to second place, within a point of Real Sociedad.
Fernando Morientes got the opener after five minutes, taking a pass from Guti and beating the keeper with a right-foot shot from just inside the area.
Raul then took over the starring role, scoring the second, setting up the next two for Roberto Carlos and Morientes and then squeezing a shot through the legs of the covering defender for the fifth, after Manu Sanchez had pulled one back for Malaga.
REAL SOCIEDAD 1 RECREATIVO HUELVA 0
Real Sociedad took advantage of Deportivo Coruna's defeat on Saturday to reclaim top spot with a nervous win.
The Basques were set on their way by Nihat Kahveci's thumping strike after nine minutes -- a 20th goal of the season for the Turkish forward -- but they never looked comfortable and with better finishing Recreativo might easily have caused an upset.
SEVILLA 3 RAYO VALLECANO 3
Rayo Vallecano scored twice in the last five minutes to come from 3-1 down to claim a draw but a point still leaves them five points adrift at the bottom and they seem certain to be playing in the second division next season.
Sevilla went ahead with a Francisco Casquero strike that hit the post and rebounded in off the keeper and the Jose Antonio Reyes added a second for the home side just after the break.
Rayo got one back with a Luis Cembranos penalty before a Reyes spot kick restored Sevilla's two-goal lead. That looked to be the end of it but two goals in 90 seconds from Michel, a curling free kick, and Roberto Peragon after a hopeful punt forward gave Rayo a point.
VALLADOLID 1 ESPANYOL 1
Both sides look safe from the drop and they seemed happy enough with the draw.
The goals were both excellent, Fernando Sales turning the Espanyol defence for the opener on 13 minutes and Roger then striking on the volley for the equaliser three minutes later.
VILLARREAL 5 CELTA VIGO 0
Villarreal dealt Celta hopes of playing in the Champions league a tough blow with this surprise result.
Celta only had themselves to blame as Peter Luccin and Mido were both red-carded within three minutes of each other midway through the first half.
The visitors saw out the first half safely enough but Villarreal went ahead through Antonio Guayre, who hooked in at the far post on 49 minutes, and that opened the floodgates.
Victor, Jorge Lopez and Martin Palermo piled on the agony for Celta before Guayre finished off a breathless second half with his second two minutes from time.
Played Saturday:
DEPORTIVO CORUNA 1 VALENCIA 2
Valencia blew the title race wide open and did their hopes of making a Champions League place a power of good with a top-class victory.
Fabio Aurelio got both goals, heading in from the edge of the box on the rebound early on and taking a long ball forward and beating Juanmi with a powerful shot for what proved to be the winner.
In between times, Donato scored a controversial equaliser with a header that may not have crossed the line.
RACING SANTANDER 0 ATLETICO MADRID 2
Javi Moreno came off the bench to score two goals and get Atletico back in the hunt for the a UEFA Cup place for next season.
Moreno took a pass from Jorge and shot from the edge of the area for the first after 63 minutes and clinched victory from the penalty spot 14 minutes from time after Carlos Aguilera had been brought down in the area.