Valencia defender Shkodran Mustafi of Germeny scored twice in a 3-1 victory at Villarreal to help his team climb into second place on Sunday as the logjam continued at the top of La Liga.
Valencia’s win — and Sevilla’s 1-0 loss at Athletic Bilbao — kept the top five teams all within two points through 10 rounds.
Mustafi struck in the 64th and 73rd minutes after Villarreal midfielder Manuel Trigueros scored an own-goal in the sixth to spoil his team’s strong first-half push. Trigueros got a consolation goal in the 88th minute.
Photo: AFP
“It was a tough game against a team that reaches your area very easily,” Valencia coach Nuno Espirito Santo said. “We knew how to dig down, control the match and make the most of our chances.”
Earlier, Bilbao’s Aritz Aduriz netted the 13th-minute winner to ruin Sevilla’s hopes of overtaking Real Madrid, before the striker left injured in the 28th minute.
Also on Sunday, Levante UD beat UD Almeria 2-1 to escape last place after having lost their first four games at home this season, while Jonathas’ brace led nine-man Elche to a 2-1 win at home over RCD Espanyol that pulled them out of the relegation zone.
Real Sociedad fired coach Jagoba Arrasate a day after their 1-0 loss to Malaga left them in the drop zone.
Villarreal were left to rue missed chances in a first half they dominated at El Madrigal, but finished trailing 1-0.
Villarreal’s Trigueros blasted Denis Cheryshev’s pass over the crossbar moments before he rushed back to defend, only to tap Sofiane Feghouli’s cross into his own net.
Cheryshev continued to trouble Valencia with his incursions down the left, but goalkeeper Diego Alves saved his dipping strike in the 37th minute, seconds before his header hit a defender.
Having weathered the hosts’ pace for an hour, Mustafi gave Valencia the cushion they needed when the German fended off his marker to head in Pablo Piatti’s cross at the far post.
Mustafi scored again by drilling in a corner, with fellow centerback Nicolas Otamendi letting the ball go through.
“They reached our area twice and scored three goals,” Villarreal manager Marcelino Garcia said. “The second goal killed us. We weren’t able to finish our chances. I am sick and tired of playing well and losing.”
Villarreal, who conceded two goals late to lose at Sevilla the previous weekend, were left in eighth place.
Bilbao played their most complete match since eliminating SSC Napoli in August to qualify for the UEFA Champions League group phase in what otherwise has been a poor start to the season for the Basque club.
Ernesto Valverde’s team bettered Sevilla in a physical match that saw five yellow cards in the first half and two more in the second.
“We knew that they were dangerous up front and that we had to defend well,” Bilbao defender Andoni Iraola said. “We didn’t take any chances, but it wasn’t necessary, leading most of the way. They are a very physical team, above all in the midfield, and you have to match them there. It was a very hard-fought game.”
Sevilla entered the match after their best league start in club history, but Bilbao had their most disciplined defensive showing of the season to win for just a second time in the league at the new San Mames Barria.
Markel Susaeta crossed for Aduriz to rifle the ball beyond goalkeeper Antonio “Beto” Bastos with a stinging volley to claim the game’s only goal.
In Valencia, Levante took the lead through striker David Barral’s solo effort in the 26th minute.
Jonathan Zongo leveled for Almeria in the 70th minute, but Victor Casadesus scored from the rebound after Jaime Gavilan’s free-kick curled off the post in the 75th.
It was coach Lucas Alcaraz’s first win since taking charge.
Elche’s Jonathas netted in the 19th and 52nd minutes, before teammates Garry Rodrigues and Domingo Cisma were sent off after receiving two bookings.
Christian Stuani pulled one back for Espanyol from the penalty spot in the 86th minute.
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