Villarreal keep up pressure as Valencia edge Betis

AFP - 30 November 2008 20:10

Villarreal´s Santiago Ibagaza (C) celebrates after scoring a goal against Recreativo Huelva with Sebastian Eguren (L) and Italian Giuseppe Rossi (R) during their Spanish league football match at the Nuevo Colombino´s stadium in Huelva. Villareal won 2-1.

BARCELONA (AFP) - Injury-hit Villarreal underlined their Spanish league title credentials with a 2-1 victory over rock-bottom Recreativo Huelva on Sunday to cut the gap on leaders Barcelona to four points.

Despite missing seven players, including influential midfielder Marcos Senna, Villarreal had enough to overcome a Recreativo side who have won just once all season.

Villarreal were fortunate to go ahead when Santi Cazorla's shot from outside the area went in off a defender after 26 minutes.

Ariel Ibagaza doubled the lead with a well-struck free-kick before Recreativo pulled a goal back through a penalty from Adrian Colunga after Pascal Cygan brought down Marco Ruben.

"We had a good game and in my opinion deserved more goals," said Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini.

"After our second goal we were clearly superior although we didn't take our chances. We won in spite of missing a lot of players."

A Ruben Baraja header gave 10-man Valencia a 3-2 victory in a pulsating encounter with Real Betis at the Mestalla to keep them in the championship hunt.

Valencia had lost their last two home games but went into a commanding lead after first-half goals from David Villa and Juan Mata.

Betis reduced the deficit with Juanma Gonzalez scoring after 56 minutes.

Valencia then had Carlos Marchena sent-off for a foul on Sergio Garcia with Achille Emana converting the spot-kick.

Betis pushed forward looking for the victory but Baraja headed a free-kick powerfully past the stranded Betis keeper to give Valencia the three points.

A late brace for Diego Forlan put the gloss on Atletico Madrid's performance as they beat ten-man Racing Santander 4-1 to move up to sixth place.

Fans were able to return to the Calderon after Atletico's mid-week Champions League game was played behind closed doors, but they saw their side fall behind after just seven minutes with Mohamed Tchite scoring from the penalty spot after he was fouled by Johnny Heitinga.

Atletico though responded well with Simao Fonseca firing home from a Forlan pass and then following the sending off of Cesar Navas for a crude challenge on Paulo Assuncao they began to take the game to the visitors.

Sergio Aguero ended his goal drought with another well-taken strike.

Forlan scored his first with a left-foot shot from 25 yards and then a second with a flicked header to give Atletico a resounding victory.

Espanyol's 1-0 home defeat to Sporting Gijon led to the post-match sacking of coach Bartolomeo Marquez with the team on the edge of the relegation zone.

Deportivo La Coruna beat Almeria with Joan Verdu scoring the only goal of the game.

Almeria were on the back foot after the sending off of Alvaro Negredo for elbowing Albert Lopo and they were lucky to survive a penalty which Verdu hit against the post but it was Verdu who made amends with 15 minutes to go.

On Saturday, Barcelona extended their lead as a fine brace from Lionel Messi helped them to a 3-0 victory over Sevilla, while Real Madrid lost 3-1 at Getafe.

Samuel Eto'o gave Barcelona the lead after 20 minutes but it was Messi who stole the show in the second half.

He ran onto a ball from midfield and volleyed into the corner from 25 yards to extend Barca's lead after 78 minutes and then he completed his brace in injury time, rounding the keeper before slotting home.

Sevilla's night was made worse by the controversial dismissal of Luis Fabiano for elbowing Sergio Busquets.

A convincing 3-1 victory by Getafe in the Madrid derby clash piled the pressure on Real coach Bernd Schuster whose side have now lost two out of their last three league games.

Schuster's makeshift team, with seven players unavailable, conceded goals at the beginning of both halves to Juan Angel Albin.

In the second half, Javier Saviola reduced the arrears but with nine minutes to go Ikechukwu Uche scored to ensure a Getafe win.

Real also suffered further injuries to Wesley Sneijder and Miguel Torres.