Valencia set their sights on a top-four La Liga finish and a Champions League spot on Sunday after brushing aside struggling Getafe 4-1.
They are now just two points off fourth-placed Villarreal thanks to two penalties by David Villa in either half and strikes from Juan Mata and Raul Albiol.
Getafe’s goal also came from a spot-kick, with Francisco Casquero converting at the start of the second half, but they were never able to cause any sustained danger to Valencia’s makeshift defense missing Carlos Marchena and Alexis Ruano.
PHOTO: REUTERS
“We still have a long way to go in order to make up for the points that we have dropped this season and so two wins does not make everything OK,” Valencia coach Unai Emery said. “But we are satisfied with the game though and we need to keep going.”
It has been a good weekend for Valencia with all the teams around them losing ground in the battle for European places.
Atletico Madrid’s inconsistency continued as they crashed to a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Osasuna.
Walter Pandiani gave the away side the lead after just seven minutes and while Diego Forlan equalized, Osasuna took full advantage of Atletico’s defensive frailties. Krisztian Vadocz restored their lead and then, after the break, Pandiani scored again. Masoud Shojaei piled on the misery for the home side, who pulled back a consolation through Pablo Ibanez.
“It was a very bad game and we were never in control, maybe it was because we were too anxious. We have found it difficult against supposedly weaker teams and it shouldn’t be like that,” Atletico coach Abel Resino said. “Without making it into an excuse though, the crowd have shown no backing to some players.”
At the other end of the table, Espanyol boosted their survival hopes with a 3-1 win over Deportivo La Coruna.
Ivan Alonso pounced to put the Catalans ahead after the Deportivo keeper spilled an Ivan de la Pena cross and then the diminutive midfielder, who was controlling the contest, doubled the lead. Lassad Nouioui pulled a goal back and Depor had chances to level the game, but an own-goal by Albert Lopo in injury-time secured the win.
Taiwan’s top women’s badminton doubles duo, Hsieh Pei-shan (謝沛珊) and Hung En-tzu (洪恩慈), achieved a straight-sets victory over Japan’s Kaho Osawa and Mayui Tanabe at the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Super 300 Macau Open on Sunday. The Taiwanese pair won the final 21-18, 21-12, marking the duo’s second title this year after their win at the BWF Super 300 Taipei Open in May. The match on Sunday was their first encounter with the Japanese duo, ranked No. 63 in the world. Hsieh and Hung, ranked No. 12, began the opening game well. Hung, who plays left-handed, performed strongly at both the net and the
Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko upset top-seeded Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-4 on Saturday night to reach the National Bank Open quarter-finals. “Your support was incredible,” Mboko told the crowd in French after a chorus of “Ole, Ole, Ole” chants echoed around the venue. “I’m really happy to win today ... It’s incredible. I’m so happy to beat such a great champion.” Gauff dropped to 2-3 since winning the French Open. She followed the major victory with opening losses in Berlin and Wimbledon, then overcame double-fault problems to win two three-set matches in Montreal. Gauff had five double-faults on Saturday after having 23 in
Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen on Thursday said that he is staying with the Red Bull team next year, ending months of speculation over his future. “Some people just like to stir the pot, some people just like to create drama, but, for me, it’s always been quite clear, and also for next year,” the four-time champion said ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. “I’m discussing with the team already the plans — the things that we want to change for next year, so that means that I’m also staying with the team for next year,” he said. Verstappen has a contract with
Alex Michelsen on Thursday rallied for a 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 upset victory over third-seeded Lorenzo Musetti in the men’s singles, converting his seventh match point to reach the fourth round of the Canadian Open. Michelsen reached the last 16 of a Masters 1000 for the first time with his second win over a top-10 player in eight attempts. The 20-year-old American survived nearly 50 unforced errors and converted just two of nine break chances, but it was enough to vanquish Italy’s Musetti, a two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist ranked 10th in the world. “It feels really good,” the 26th-ranked Michelsen said. “I’ve put
RSS