(Adds Deportivo v Atletico)
MADRID, May 8 - Brief reports of Primera Liga
matches played on Sunday:
ALBACETE 3 LEVANTE 1
Albacete boosted their faint hopes of avoiding the drop with
this emphatic win against fellow strugglers Levante, who sacked
coach Bernd Schuster after last week's 1-0 defeat at home to
Malaga.
A well-taken strike from forward Francisco five minutes
before the break, a Pablo Redondo toe-poke early in the second
half and a diving header from Mark Gonzalez a minute later gave
Albacete a comfortable lead.
Levante pulled one back with a far-post header from Sergio
Garcia, but the former Barcelona striker and Albacete defender
Santi were sent off as they fought over the ball after the goal.
Levante forward Gustavo Reggi later received his marching orders
for insulting the referee.
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DEPORTIVO CORUNA 2 ATLETICO MADRID 0
Atletico effectively bade farewell to their chances of
earning a UEFA Cup place via the league after this defeat at the
Riazor and will now concentrate all their efforts on trying to
gain passage by winning the King's Cup.
The visitors fell behind when French midfielder Peter Luccin
put the ball through his own net early in the second half as he
tried to cut out a low cross from Pedro Munitis.
The Depor winger also set up his side's second when he
floated a superb cross for substitute and former Atletico player
Joan Capdevila to guide in at the far post seven minutes from
time.
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ESPANYOL 3 NUMANCIA 0
Defeat at Montjuic finally condemned Numancia to relegation
a season after they won promotion to the top flight, while
victory for Espanyol allowed the Catalans to remain in the hunt
for a Champions League place.
Midfielder Jose Emilio Amavisca gave Espanyol the lead 10
minutes into the second half. Fellow midfielder Ferran Corominas
made it 2-0 when he slid in at the near post five minutes later
and Numancia's misery was completed when defender Patricio Graff
headed an Ivan de la Pena free kick into his own net.
- - - -
GETAFE 2 REAL SOCIEDAD 0
Getafe celebrated securing their second season in the top
flight with victory in an otherwise inconsequential match.
Forward Michel put the Madrid side ahead in the 32nd minute
when he scored from close range and helped himself to a second
shortly before the break when he fired a bullet header in at the
near post.
- - - -
MALAGA 0 VILLARREAL 2
Villarreal reclaimed fourth spot and an all-important
Champions League berth with a second win in a row.
Argentine playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme took immediate
advantage of the dismissal of Malaga midfielder Marcelo Romero
for a reckless challenge to break the deadlock when he steered
home following a poor clearance.
Young midfielder Santi Cazorla made sure of the victory by
firing a spectacular 25-metre drive into the top corner four
minutes later.
- - - -
VALENCIA 0 BARCELONA 2
Barcelona were left with one hand on the league title after
some devastating finishing from Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto'o gave
the Catalans an authoritative win over last season's champions.
World Player of the Year Ronaldinho grabbed the first when
he sent a 20-metre rocket-shot fizzing into the top corner just
before the half hour.
Valencia were still reeling from the blow when Eto'o hit
them with a second. Steaming on to a neat through ball from
Ronaldinho, he cut inside a defender before steering the ball
low into the far corner for his 23rd goal of the season.
Valencia defender Carlos Marchena was sent off for a wayward
challenge on Barca midfielder Deco midway through the second
half.
- - - -
Played Saturday:
ATHLETIC BILBAO 2 REAL ZARAGOZA 0
Bilbao boosted their hopes of earning a place in Europe with
an important win at San Mames.
Striker Ismael Urzaiz celebrated his contract renewal by
putting the Basque side in front in the 54th minute, firing a
first-time shot into the roof of the net after Joseba Etxeberria
cut a pass back into his path.
Defender Jesus Maria Lacruz added a second six minutes from
time.
- - - -
OSASUNA 1 REAL MALLORCA 1
Osasuna striker Savo Milosevic grabbed a point for his side
to ensure their survival in the top flight with a late header,
dealing a blow to Mallorca's hopes of avoiding the drop in the
process.
The islanders appeared to be on course for a priceless win
when midfielder Javier Farinos looped a monster 45-metre shot
over Ricardo Sanzol's head and into the net.
The match ended in dramatic fashion when a goal-bound shot
from Mallorca striker Yoshito Okubo was scrambled clear by
defender David Lopez just as it was about to creep over the goal
line.
- - - -
REAL BETIS 1 SEVILLA 0
Betis got the better of a typically passionate and
bad-tempered Seville derby and boosted their chances of earning
a Champions League place, thanks to a fine solo goal from
leading striker Ricardo Oliveira after just seven minutes.
The Brazilian sent a low shot skidding past keeper Antonio
Notario and into the corner from five metres outside the area,
earning Betis their first home win over their city rivals in 10
years and lifting his tally for the season to 19.
- - - -
REAL MADRID 5 RACING SANTANDER 0
A thumping seventh straight win for Real that allowed them
to maintain the pressure on Barcelona.
Michael Owen put Real ahead just before the half-hour when
he guided in at the near post after some great work by Raul and
Ronaldo made it 2-0 from the penalty spot after Racing keeper
Dudu Aouate had been controversially penalised for colliding
with the Brazilian when he pushed the ball out of his path.
Raul completed his best performance of the season when he
helped himself to a well-taken second half double, drilling in
after an error by Aouate and then firing into the corner from
the edge of the area.
Ronaldo completed the rout in injury time when he powered on
to a Luis Figo through ball, rounded the demoralised Aouate and
rolled the ball into the empty net.
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