Celta keeps heat on

Valencia loses, slips further off title pace in Spain

MADRID (Reuters) -- Reigning champions Valencia lost further ground in the title race with a 1-0 defeat away to Athletic Bilbao in an untidy league clash on Sunday.

With the top three all winning on Saturday, Valencia were badly in need of a similar result to stay in the hunt for a successful title defense.

Joseba Etxeberria's brilliant run and chip settled the game in Bilbao's favor, though, and left Valencia in fourth place, now eight points behind leaders Real Madrid.

Rafa Benitez's side, who host Arsenal in an all-important Champions League clash on Wednesday, are also being pressed from behind after fifth-placed Celta Vigo won 1-0 away to Atletico Madrid thanks to a late strike from defender Eduardo Berizzo.

Barcelona failed to make any progress in their quest for a European place, though, the Catalans turning in one of their worst performances of a wretched domestic season in a goalless draw at struggling Alaves.

Real Madrid lead the standings with 54 points from 26 games following their 1-0 win away to Villarreal on Saturday.

Real Sociedad stay second on 53 points thanks to their 2-1 victory away to Racing Santander, while Deportivo Coruna keep hold of third place two points further back after their 2-0 success at home to Rayo Vallecano.

Valencia are fourth on 46, now just five points ahead of Celta Vigo and with 12 games still to play.

Barca remain down in ninth place on 33 points -- 13 points behind Valencia in the fourth and final Champions League spot, 21 points off the title pace and just four points above the relegation zone.

Pressure on

Victories for the top three teams on Saturday left Sunday's focus on fourth place and Celta put the pressure on Valencia with their valuable 1-0 win at Atletico.

A match dominated by the two defenses was settled with a late counter-attack started by Gustavo Lopez. He switched the ball across to Berizzo and the Argentine produced a precise left-foot finish to give his side the points.

Valencia failed to respond to the challenge despite being awarded a penalty on 38 minutes when Bilbao defender Aitor Karanka held down Ruben Baraja at a corner.

Fabio Aurelio saw his spot kick saved and within a minute the home side were ahead, as Santi Ezquerro fed the ball to Ismael Urzaiz, who in turn picked out Etxeberria to lift a shot over Santiago Canizares.

Valencia had a couple of chances to get back in the game but their task was complicated when Mista was sent off for a second yellow card 10 minutes into the second half and Bilbao held out comfortably enough.

Barcelona's draw at Alaves was at least enough to preserve the unbeaten record of replacement coach Radomir Antic but there was precious little else to cheer for the Catalans.

Patrick Kluivert wasted their one clear chance, striking the bar with his chip over the goalkeeper in the first half.

Barca had Thiago Motta sent off just past the hour and they concentrated on frantic defense thereafter.

Alaves had Oscar Tellez red-carded two minutes into injury time for handball and Juan Roman Riquelme blasted the free kick over the bar to bring a sad end to a dreadful game.

Match reports

MADRID (Reuters) -- Reports of matches played in the Spanish first division this weekend:

Played Sunday:

ALAVES 0 BARCELONA 0

Barcelona were appalling in a goalless draw that leaves them 13 points behind the fourth and final Champions League qualification place and just four points clear of the relegation zone.

Patrick Kluivert wasted Barca's one clear chance, striking the bar with his chip over the goalkeeper in the first half. The visitors had Thiago Motta sent off just past the hour mark after a tussle with Ibon Begona and they concentrated on frantic defense thereafter.

Alaves had Oscar Tellez red-carded two minutes into injury-time for handball and Juan Roman Riquelme blasted the resulting free kick over the bar to bring a sad end to a dreadful game. - - - -

ATHLETIC BILBAO 1 VALENCIA 0

Valencia's hopes of a successful title defense took a big dent with a defeat that leaves them eight points behind leaders Real Madrid.

Fabio Aurelio missed a penalty on 38 minutes and within 60 seconds the home side were ahead. Santi Ezquerro fed the ball to Ismael Urzaiz, who in turn picked out Joseba Etxeberria to race clear of the defense and lift a shot over Santiago Canizares.

Valencia had a couple of chances to get back in the game but their task was complicated when Mista was sent off for a second yellow card on 55 minutes and they finished with nine men when Kily Gonzalez was injured with 10 minutes to go. - - - -

ATLETICO MADRID 0 CELTA VIGO 1

Celta Vigo kept up their push for a Champions League place for next season thanks to a late goal from Eduardo Berizzo.

The Argentine produced a sublime left-foot finish for the only goal three minutes from time, after Gustavo Lopez had launched a counter-attack down the right. - - - -

ESPANYOL 2 MALAGA 1

Espanyol should have won comfortably against a Malaga side reduced to 10 men in the first half but they missed a stack of chances and needed a late penalty from Raul Tamudo to take the points.

Malaga lost goalkeeper Pedro Contreras on 41 minutes for a tackle on Tamudo and the Spanish international forward put Espanyol ahead on 53 minutes, lashing in on the rebound after Ivan de la Pena's shot was blocked.

Malaga came back on 79 minutes when Manu took a Dely Valdes pass and finished sharply but Marcelo Romero was sent off three minutes into injury-time for handling on the line and Tamudo slotted in the penalty to give the home side victory. - - - -

OSASUNA 0 REAL MALLORCA 0

Osasuna pushed forward throughout but were kept at bay by Mallorca's disciplined defense and the Navarrans had to settle for a draw that leaves them ahead of the relegation zone only on goal difference. - - - -

REAL BETIS 1 RECREATIVO HUELVA 1

Betis were booed off by their own fans after failing to get the win they needed to stay in the hunt for a Champions League spot.

Capi put the home side ahead on 10 minutes, sliding in from a Fernando cross, but they failed to add to their lead despite enjoying the vast majority of the play in the first half.

Emilio Viqueira missed a penalty for Recreativo early in the second half but the visitors were soon level in any case, Raul Molina lifting the ball over the Betis defense for Xisco to turn past Toni Prats. - - - -

VALLADOLID 0 SEVILLA 0

Both sides stay within sight of the European places, and clear of trouble, after an entertaining enough goalless draw. Valladolid had most of the chances but with Sevilla keeper Antonio Notario in his usual excellent form they failed to make the breakthrough. - - - -

Played Saturday:

DEPORTIVO CORUNA 2 RAYO VALLECANO 0

Deportivo responded well to the disappointment of their midweek Champions League exit, easing to a win that keeps them within striking distance of the leaders.

Roy Makaay put them ahead from the penalty spot on 18 minutes after a foul on Hector just inside the box.

Rayo's task was complicated when Sergio Corina received a second yellow card on 83 minutes and two minutes later Noureddine Naybet secured victory with a breakaway goal.

The match marked a return to action for former Spanish international goalkeeper Jose Molina, back in the first team after receiving treatment for testicular cancer. - - - -

RACING SANTANDER 1 REAL SOCIEDAD 2

Real Sociedad had to come from behind against much improved Racing to stay within a point of league leaders Real Madrid.

Racing went ahead through Yossi Benayoun on five minutes, the Israeli international chesting the ball down in the area and hooking past Sander Westerveld.

Sociedad equalized with a brilliant Nihat Kahveci free kick on 23 minutes and they were given a let-off in the second half when Ismael blasted a penalty over the bar.

Racing were made to pay for that miss a few minutes later when Valery Karpin fired in the winner. - - - -

VILLARREAL 0 REAL MADRID 1

Real Madrid needed a last-gasp strike from Ivan Helguera to claim victory and stay clear at the top of the table.

The visitors started well and Raul came close to giving them the lead on five minutes as he beat two players on the edge of the box only to chip straight into the arms of Pepe Reina.

Villarreal gradually took control of the game but Martin Palermo and Antonio Guayre both missed simple chances and Real took advantage in the 90th minute when Helguera cropped up unmarked at the far post after the home side had failed to clear a corner.

 

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