Brief reports of matches in the Spanish first division:
Played on Sunday:
ATHLETIC BILBAO 2 REAL ZARAGOZA 1
Bilbao moved up to the Champions League qualification places thanks to two contrasting goals from big centre forward Ismael Urzaiz. The first was a trademark header on four minutes, the second a brilliant solo effort 17 minutes into the second half.
The Spanish international raced on to a long through ball, showed great balance to turn inside and leave two covering defenders wrong-footed, then fired in with a shot back across the face of the keeper. Yordi got one back with 20 minutes to go but the home side managed to hold on.
CELTA VIGO 3 VILLARREAL 1
Valery Karpin sent in a swinging cross from the left for Jesuli to volley in at the far post and give Celta a 1-0 lead on eight minutes. Edu then scored twice at the start of the second half to clinch the points.
The Br
azilian forward sliced in from close range as Villarreal failed to clear a corner on 61 minutes and 60 seconds later he planted a header past Javier Lopez Vallejo from another great Karpin cross to make it 3-0.
Guayre got one back with more than half an hour still to go but Celta closed up shop effectively to clinch a second successive league win.
LAS PALMAS 1 SEVILLA 0
Las Palmas midfielder Josico scored the only goal of a drab game after 73 minutes, pouncing on a loose ball after a shot from Marcos Sequeiros had been deflected.
MALAGA 1 REAL SOCIEDAD 0
John Toshack's side had most of the possession but the only good chance fell to Malaga. The Real Sociedad defence failed to clear a freekick from the right and Miguel Angel reacted first as the ball pinged back into the area to tuck it in from close range on 40 minutes.
Malaga's Dario
Silva was sent off but the visitors failed to take advantage in the remaining 20 minutes.
REAL BETIS 1 TENERIFE 0
Joao Tomas struck a post after two minutes and Betis created several further chances before Joaquin got the only goal 12 minutes into the second half, volleying in a Denilson cross.
Tenerife then had Federico Basabilvaso and Bruno Marioni sent off and finished the game with eight men as Fuertes went off injured.
VALLADOLID 3 RAYO VALLECANO 1
Fernando put the home side 1-0 up with a sharp side-foot finish on 26 minutes. Rayo defender Patricio Graf was sent off on 36 minutes for a second yellow card and Valladolid took advantage almost immediately, Fernando heading in his second two minutes later.
Bosnian international forward
Elvir Baljic reduced the arrears a few seconds before halftime with his first goal for Rayo since joining on loan from Real Madrid last month, but Valladolid always looked in control and Chema wrapped up the win 17 minutes from time.
Played Saturday:
ALAVES 2 BARCELONA 0
Alaves moved top of the table for the first time since the 1930s with an emphatic victory over below-par Barcelona. The Basque side took the lead on 23 minutes as
Ruben Navarro went down in the area under pressure from Patrik Andersson and Carlos Llorens side-footed in the penalty.
Barca hardly gave themselves a chance as they turned in probably their worst display of the season and Alaves clinched victory on 62 minutes as Ibon Begona swept the ball home from the edge of the area after the Catalans only half cleared a freekick.
ESPANYOL 1 DEPORTIVO CORUNA 0
A second successive defeat saw Deportivo lose the league leadership. Spanish striker Raul Tamudo got the only goal early in the second half, keeping his cool to slot past Jose
Molina when put clean through on goal.
REAL MADRID 2 OSASUNA 1
Real were 2-0 up inside 16 minutes as
Fernando Morientes headed in the first and set up the second for Raul. They then took their foot off the accelerator and almost paid the price.
Osasuna had several second-half chances and eventually pulled one back with a John Aloisi header on 85 minutes. Real just managed to hold on for a win that took them up to third place but they were far from convincing against their relegation-threatened opponents.
VALENCIA 1 REAL MALLORCA 1
Alberto Luque scored his third goal in a week to put Mallorca ahead on 13 minutes. Second-half substitute Kily
Gonzalez rescued a point for Valencia as he jinked down the left wing and teed up Mista who side-footed the equaliser 10 minutes from time.