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LFP : Valencia keep pace with on-fire Barcelona

Just two points separate the top four teams in the Spanish first division after Valencia defeated 10-man Getafe on Sunday night to move third above champions Real Madrid on goal difference.

Barcelona lead the way with a point advantage over Villarreal and a two-point cushion over Valencia, now third, and Real who had a brief spell at the summit on Saturday.

A Manuel Fernandes strike, a terrific volley from Joaquin and a late Vicente Rodriguez effort helped Valencia overcome Getafe 3-0. The visitors had been handicapped by the sending off of Roberto Soldado close to half-time, as Unai Emery’s team closed to within two points of pacesetters Barca.

“It is a good win for us because Getafe are strong at home,” explained Joaquin. “It was quite comfortable as we controlled possession and they got tired towards the end.”

Earlier on Sunday, Villarreal continued their impressive unbeaten start to the season, moving a point behind league leaders Barcelona with a 2-1 victory over Almeria.

Villarreal took an early strangehold on the match scoring twice in the opening quarter of an hour with Giuseppe Rossi scoring in the first minute before Jose Llorente registered his fifth of the season after 15 minutes.

Almeria pulled a goal back but Villarreal held on for their seventh win of the campaign.

Barcelona sit above Villarreal by a point after lighting up Camp Nou on Saturday, crushing Valladolid 6-0 with Samuel Eto’o scoring four goals in a dazzling display.

Champions Real sit fourth, two points behind Barca, after Argentine Gonzalo Higuain scored four goals as Bernd Schuster’s team labored to a 4-3 win over Malaga on Saturday.

Sevilla are trying to break into that top four and closed to within five points of Barca with a 1-0 home victory against Recreativo Huelva on Sunday.

Manolo Jimenez’s team bounced back from four successive defeats, including a midweek UEFA Cup loss against Standard Liege, with Frederic Kanoute’s 63rd minute strike proving decisive.

Mali international Kanoute also missed a penalty 12 minutes from time but it proved insignificant.

Sevilla’s victory was bad news for Atletico Madrid who were frustrated by struggling Osasuna in a 0-0 draw that leaves them down in seventh, six points off the Champions League spots.

It could have been worse for Atletico had French goalkeeper Gregory Coupet not saved Javier Portillo’s 19th minute spot-kick for Osasuna, who have still not won this season.

Racing Santander’s in-form marksman Mohamed Tchite, who scored a hat-trick against Valencia last weekend, was on target again as his side ended Sporting Gijon’s run of five straight league wins with a 1-0 triumph.

Spanish La Liga

Team P GD PTS
1 Barcelona 10 26 25
2 Villareal 10 10 24
3 Valencia 10 14 23
4 Real Madrid 10 12 23
5 Sevilla 10 8 20
6 Deportivo La Coruna 10 0 15
7 Atletico Madrid 10 3 14
8 Getafe 10 -2 13
9 Malaga 10 -4 13
10 Racing Santander 10 -2 12
11 Mallorca 10 -4 12
12 Espanyol 10 -4 12
13 Almeria 10 -5 12
14 Sporting Gijon 10 -7 12
15 Real Betis 10 0 11
16 Valladolid 10 -8 10
17 Recreativo Huelva 10 -10 7
18 Numancia 10 -11 7
19 Athletic Bilbao 10 -10 6
20 Osasuna 10 -6 5


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