First division, day 5

Last week's leaders Celta held on to top spot after beating Sevilla 2-1 in the last game of Sunday evening. Fernando Vázquez's side had been displaced by Getafe the night before, but within a minute they were in front when Baiano leaped acrobatically to flick a Nuñez cross past Palop with the outside of his heel. And on the quarter hour mark Oubiña made it two with a jinking run through the Sevilla defence before rolling the ball into the net. The visitors had a chance to pull one back when Placente fouled Alves in the area, but Pinto guessed right to save Luis Fabiano's spot kick. But he could do nothing to stop a second penalty after the restart when Contreras barged over Kanouté, Maresca converting the kick to set up a nail biting finish.

Real Madrid are up to third in the table after a 0-3 win over bottom club Alavés. The locals held their own though up until the hour mark, when Ronaldo latched on to a loose ball to beat Costanzo. And the Brazilian striker hit the post a few minutes later before getting a second goal after picking up a pass from Beckham and rounding the keeper to score. The hosts threw everything forward, but Guti wrapped things up in injury time with an angled shot after Robinho's effort had been blocked.

Osasuna clocked up their third straight home win, beating Cádiz 2-0 to move up into the top six. The Pamplona based side dominated the game from start to finish, and took the lead when David López fired the ball back into the net after the defence failed to head clear a cross from the left. The Andalusians could have got back in the game when Fleurquín fired a second half penalty wide, but Moha put the result beyond reach when he drilled a shot past Armando near the end.

Mallorca drop back down into the relegation zone after they were hammered 1-4 by Málaga. The visitors scored their goals in pairs, Salva starting things off on the half hour mark and Duda getting a second from a free kick two minutes later. And the act was repeated after the restart, Duda getting his second of the night from another free kick, and Edgar adding a fourth just two minutes after that. Choutos came on to head a late consolation goal, but many fans had gone home by then.

Finally Athletic Bilbao and Racing Santander played out a dull 0-0 draw which left both sides in midtable. Chances were few and far between, but Yeste did come close ten minutes in to the second half when he hit the post with the keeper beaten. (25.09.05)

Getafe continue to surprise in their second season in the top flight, Bernd Schuster's side moving back to head up the table after a 0-1 win over local rivals Atlético Madrid. It was a deserved victory though, the visitors playing the better football in the first half, and not dropping their guard despite having Mario Cotelo sent off for a foul on Petrov after the restart. Pernía got the only goal of the game with a free kick which penetrated a badly formed defensive wall twenty minutes from the end, and now only a victory by Celta tomorrow can deprive them of top spot by the end of the weekend.

Barcelona bounced back after a disappointing start to the season to beat Champions League rivals Betis 1-4. Eto'o missed an early penalty, but Van Bommel (in the side after Deco and Ronaldinho were rested) headed them into the lead in the twentieth minute. Referee Pérez Lasa controversially sent off Oliveira soon afterwards, but the home side were level at the break after Juanito headed home an Assunçao free kick. Eto'o fired Barça back into the lead though after the restart and added a third goal a few minutes later, and substitute Ezquerro made it four in the closing minutes.

Valencia moved up to third in the table after beating Real Sociedad 2-1. Quique Flores's side started well and went in front ten minutes before the interval when Aimar headed Rufete's cross wide of Riesgo. And David Villa made it two just a couple of minutes in to the second half with an individualist effort. The visitors fought back though, Nihat blasting one back after Kovacevic played back a cross from the right, and only two magnificent saves by Cañizares from Kovacevic at the end of the match stopped the visitors from saving a point.

Deportivo are level with Valencia on points after drawing 1-1 with Zaragoza. Both sides came in to the game unbeaten, but the locals took the lead when Diego Milito lost his markers to turn Savio's cross past Molina. The Galicians fought back though, and Andrade had a goal disallowed and Diego Tristán fired a shot off the crossbar down onto the line before Tristán headed the equaliser from a Munitis free kick a minute before the break.

Meanwhile Villarreal climbed off the bottom of the table with a 1-2 victory at Espanyol. Josico opened the scoring for the visitors with a shot on the turn on the stroke of half time, but Luis García made it all square after the restart after substitute Riera set him up within seconds of coming on. Marcos Senna latched on to a loose ball five minutes later though to fire a low shot wide of Kameni to win the match. (24.09.05)