Valencia a point behind Real after 5-1 win
Valencia's in-form striker Mista grabbed a hat-trick as they blasted their way to a 5-1 victory over Real Mallorca that took them within a point of leaders Real Madrid in the Primera Liga on Sunday.
Valencia's in-form striker Mista grabbed a hat-trick as they blasted their way to a 5-1 victory over Real Mallorca that took them within a point of leaders Real Madrid in the Primera Liga on Sunday.
Mista put them in front at the end of an even first half but Valencia took complete control after the break and crushed the islanders with four more goals in 10 second-half minutes.
Real Madrid, who lost Wednesday's King's Cup final against Real Zaragoza, ended a miserable week with a morale-sapping 4-2 defeat at an inspired Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.
Last season's champions have frittered away a comfortable eight-point lead in the space of just three games.
With nine matches left they lead the table on 61 points, Valencia follow with 60 and Deportivo Coruna, who won 1-0 at basement side Murcia on Saturday, are third on 53.
In-form Barcelona can reclaim third spot and move within six points of Madrid if they beat Real Sociedad later on Sunday.
Anxious to take advantage of Real's slip-up in Bilbao, Valencia went on the attack from the whistle at the Mestalla but despite their domination the home side were kept at bay by the dogged Mallorca defence for most of the first half.
The islanders dropped their guard, though, two minutes before the break as they allowed Mista to score with a header past Franco after a swirling cross from defender Curro Torres.
Rafa Benitez's side then unleashed a four-goal second-half blitz inside 10 minutes as Baraja made it 2-0 when he poked in from two metres out after battling his way through the Mallorca defence to connect with a Vicente free kick.
Forward Miguel Angel Angulo added another goal with a spectacular effort on the hour, jinking past two defenders, exchanging a neat one-two with Mista and finishing off with a delicate lob over the stranded Franco.
Mista then brought up his hat-trick when he struck twice more in a little over a minute, bringing down a Vicente cross and cracking home with his left foot to make it 4-0 and then looping a fine header into the top corner to score his side's fifth and bring his tally for the season to 17.
Mallorca pulled one back when Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o scored from the penalty spot after midfielder Nene had been clipped by Francisco Rufete on the edge of the area.
Earlier on Sunday, relegation-threatened Celta Vigo were held to a 4-4 draw at Racing Santander in an action-packed match that included two sendings off and four penalties.
Celta were awarded a late penalty that could have given Radomir Antic's side a priceless win but striker Savo Milosevic blasted the ball over the bar three minutes into injury time.
The result leaves Celta in deep trouble, four points behind Real Mallorca in 18th position in the 20-team division.