Two more for Pandiani as Mallorca go third

Two goals from in-form Uruguayan striker Walter Pandiani helped Real Mallorca on their way to a club record sixth consecutive win as they beat Alaves 3-1 at Son Moix in the Spanish first division on Sunday.

The win, which enabled the Balearic islanders to beat their previous best ever winning run in the first division, moved them into third in the table, level on points with second-placed Valencia.

Pandiani, who broke his scoring duck with a hat-trick in last week's 3-1 win over Valladolid, powered home a bullet header on 30 minutes after Alvaro Novo had spun in a fine cross from the right.

The powerful centre-forward then had a hand in his side's second when his deflected pass found the feet of team mate Ariel Ibagaza and the nippy Argentine winger darted into the area before firing home with a fine angled shot midway through the second half.

Pandiani, a former Deportivo Coruna striker, then claimed his second and his fifth in two games when he cracked home from the penalty spot on 77 minutes after he was adjudged to have been brought down by Alaves keeper Richard Dutruel.

Ruben Navarro missed a penalty for Alaves with three minutes to go, but substitute Adrian Ilie managed to net an injury-time consolation.

Midfielder Jesus Angel Turiel robbed the ball from Samuel Eto'o as Mallorca were playing out time before slipping the ball to Ilie, who checked past two players and slotted his shot inside the far post.

Celta Vigo moved into fourth spot, and put their midweek Cup defeat at the hand of second division Numancia behind them, with a 1-0 win over Espanyol thanks to an 18th minute strike from midfielder Jose Ignacio.

Also on Sunday, Sevilla beat Racing 1-0 and Valladolid won 3-1 at Recreativo and finally Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao draw 3-3 after hattricks from Ismael Urzaiz and Jose Mari.