Mallorca kept up its bid for a Champions League spot with a 1-0
victory over Villarreal in the Spanish league on Sunday as Sevilla
lost 2-1 at Zaragoza.
Jose Carlos Nunes' 82nd minute header from Julio Alvarez's
cross gave Mallorca its 10th league win of the season in the Ono
Estadi, to maintain its unbeaten home record.
"Today we had a tough test against a rival that is
historically bad for us at home, and that has very good players,
and we've played an important game in terms of our aim of being
near the top of the standings," said Mallorca coach Gregorio
Manzano.
The result takes Mallorca into fourth place on 37 points.
Sevilla is on 36 points, dropping to fifth.
Barcelona, which beat Getafe 2-1 on Saturday, is top on 55
points, with Real Madrid, which beat Espanyol 3-0, second on 50.
Third-place Valencia has 42 after beating Valladolid 2-0 on
Saturday.
Also Sunday, Racing Santander drew 1-1 with Atletico Madrid
and Athletic Bilbao beat Xerez 3-2.
At Zaragoza's Romareda Stadium Matteo Contini's low
left-footed shot put the home side ahead in the 31st.
Frederic Kanoute followed up a rebound off the crossbar to
equalize two minutes later.
A Zaragoza corner glanced off Alvaro Negredo's head into his
own net to put the hosts ahead again just before halftime.
Sevilla ended the game with nine players after Negredo was
ejected for kicking out at Contini and Marius Stankevicius was sent
off for a dangerous challenge on Ander Herrera. Zaragoza's Adrian
Colunga was sent off for a late tackle on Jesus Navas in injury
time.
"This has given me a lot of very good sensations," said
Zaragoza coach Jose Aurelio Gay. "It was a win against a very
difficult opponent, we've moved out of the relegation spots and
we've had two wins in a row, something we haven't done all season.
But above all, it's the way we played which is worth highlighting."
Against Villarreal, Mallorca failed to make the home
advantage count for much of the game, although Aritz Aduriz came
close with an overhead shot that went wide in the 34th minute.
In Juan Carlos Garrido's first game in charge of Villarreal,
the visitors started to apply the pressure as halftime approached
with Robert Pires, Joseba Llorente and Diego Godin all going close.
Llorente was put through early in the second half and Israel
goalkeeper Dudu Aouate did well to rush out and block his shot.
With an eye on Wednesday's Copa del Rey semifinal against
Getafe, Sevilla coach Manolo Jimenez left some key players on the
bench, including Navas, Diego Perotti and Luis Fabiano.
With a weakened lineup Sevilla failed to find its rhythm.
Zaragoza, which has been fighting to move clear of the relegation
spots, had a string of chances as it played some of the best
football of its season.
Adrian Colunga twice came close to scoring in the first half,
Andres Palop managing to get a hand to his shot before the forward
then shot wide when through on goal again. The goalkeeper kept
Sevilla in the game several times and saved again when Angel
Arizmendi shot on the half hour.
Perotti replaced Jose Carlos in the second half as Sevilla's
Jimenez looked for more bite in attack and the Argentina winger
blasted over from outside the area on the hour.
With the clock ticking down Navas replaced Kanoute, although
Zaragoza's well-organized defense kept its lead intact.
At the Sardinero Stadium, Simao Sabrosa surprised the
Santander defense in the 24th with a long pass that Diego Forlan
latched on to before tapping in to put Atletico ahead.
Gonzalo Colsa equalized in the 37th, spinning away from his
marker and shooting with his left foot after controlling a cross
from the right.
Atletico beat Santander 4-0 on Thursday in the Copa del Rey
semifinal and the two teams meet for a third time this week for the
return leg.
Sergio Canales curled a free kick just over in the 18th.
Santander then had a penalty appeal turned down after the teenager
came down under Tiago Mendes' challenge.
Sergio Aguero came off the bench on the hour although he
could not break the deadlock.
Xerez appeared to have secured a draw at the San Mames until
Fernando Llorente scored an 85th minute winner for Bilbao to follow
his 65th minute equalizer.
Bilbao made an ideal start with 17-year-old Iker Muniain
scoring in the third minute, only for Xerez's Vicente Moreno to
level with a volley from the edge of the area in the 11th minute
and Mario Bermejo to make it 2-1 to the visiting team just before
halftime.
Earlier, 10-man Deportivo La Coruna drew 0-0 at Malaga;
Osasuna beat Tenerife 1-0; and Almeria beat Sporting Gijon 3-1.
