Sevilla beat 10-man Sporting Gijon 3-0 and Mallorca came from behind for a 2-1 win at Espanyol in the Spanish league on Tuesday, keeping both winning teams in the hunt to qualify for European football.
Sporting's Sebastian Eguren was red carded for tripping Luis Fabiano inside the area, and the Brazil striker stepped up to convert the penalty in the 28th minute.
Sevilla dominated the match at Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium afterward. Diego Perotti doubled the advantage in the 35th by Argentine volleying a headed pass beyond goalkeeper Ivan Cuellar and inside the near post.
Ivan Rakitic played Alvaro Negredo through the defense in the 65th, the Spanish striker chipping over the onrushing Cuellar to join teammate Luis Fabiano on 10 goals for the season.
Seventh-place Sevilla is three points adrift of Espanyol. Fifth-place Espanyol sits two points above Athletic Bilbao, which plays Zaragoza on Wednesday. The fifth- and sixth-place teams will play in the Europa League next season.
Espanyol slumped to a fifth loss in six games after Emilio Nsue's late winner capped Mallorca's second-half fightback.
The Spanish forward was well placed to find the net in the 83rd minute after 'keeper Carlos Kameni had made an acrobatic save from Akihiro Ienaga's volleyed shot at Cornella-El Prat Stadium.
Mallorca could have been ahead after nine minutes but Kameni saved Chori Castro's penalty. Ten minutes later, Espanyol led 1-0. Alvaro Vazquez beat the offside trap to meet Jose Callejon's pass inside the area and fire past goalkeeper Dudu Aouate.
Espanyol controlled the match from the outset, but Mallorca slowly found its rhythm with Kameni being forced to make a number of diving saves from Castro and Ivan Ramos.
Pierre Webo headed home the equalizer for Mallorca from Sergio Tejera's free kick in the 63rd.
Webo was Mallorca's most dangerous player, earning the penalty and also hitting the post in the 81st minute before Nsue scored a deserved winner.
Mallorca, Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad trail Espanyol by six points.
Sporting is winless in five games to remain one point above the drop places.
Spanish leader Barcelona travels to Valencia on Wednesday holding a seven-point advantage over Real Madrid, which welcomes former coach Manuel Pellegrini's Malaga to the Santiago Bernabeu on Thursday.
In other 26th-round action, it's: Getafe vs. Atletico Madrid; Villarreal vs. Hercules; Osasuna vs. Deportivo La Coruna; Real Sociedad vs. Levante; and Almeria vs. Racing Santander.
