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Match round-up - First Division, Day 14

Athletic Bilbao remain a point behind fourth placed Villarreal after coming from behind to beat Málaga 1-2 on Monday evening. The Basque side got the better start, Muniain losing control when free on goal, Weligton clearing a header from young striker Guillermo off the line and Willy Caballero having to keep out an Ibai Gómez free kick. Juanmi and Antunes went close at the other end though, and with Laporte being attended to on the touchline, Juanmi took advantage to head the Andalusians in to the lead after Angeleri headed over a long cross. Valverde made his three substitutions early in the second half however, and it paid off when San José met Susaeta's corner with his shoulder to level the scores. With the game in the final minutes the locals were left a man short when Portillo picked up a second booking, and a couple of minutes later Ander Herrera passed the ball across for Muniain to beat Caballero at the second attempt. The defeat left the locals just a point above the drop zone, and the frustrated fans chanted for coach Bernd Schuster to leave after the final whistle. (25.11.13)

With only a third of the season gone, the top three have already opened up what is looking more and more like an unassailable gap over the rest, leaving just one Champions League spot up for grabs. Villarreal currently occupy that fourth spot, and they consolidated their position with a 0-3 win over regional neighbours Levante on Sunday lunchtime. The game swung in their favour early on when local keeper Keylor Navas was sent off for giving away a penalty on Uche which Bruno converted, and Hernán Pérez came close to a second when his volley rattled the crossbar later on in the first half. Substitute keeper Javi Jiménez made good saves from Bruno and Trigueros either side of half time, and Levante's only replies were a couple of efforts by Diop, and a possible penalty for hands by Bruno. Aquino and Cani both went close though, and Uche wrapped things up with two goals later on, the first after Bruno put him through, and the second with an impressive over-head kick after Cani's shot came back off the crossbar.

Navas wasn't the only keeper to pick up a red card though, Rayo Vallecano's Rubén was also given his marching orders midway through the first half of the game against Espanyol for bringing down Sergio García inside the area. Up to that point the best chance had been a header over the top by Héctor Moreno, but after reserve keeper Cobeño replaced Bueno, García stepped up to convert the resulting spot kick. Casilla did well to keep out Trashorras and Lass fired a shot just wide later on in the first half, but soon after the restart Arbilla tripped a theatrical Córdoba as he entered the area, and Sergio García tucked home a second penalty. Rayo didn't give up though, and Saúl Ñíguez headed one back from a Trashorras corner with ten minutes to go. But two minutes later Sergio García completed his hat-trick, staying on his feet long enough to poke a shot past Cobeño after Stuani headed on a long throw, and soon afterwards Stuani ran through from the right of the area to slot a shot under the legs of the keeper to make it 1-4 in the end.

Espanyol are up to ninth, still a point behind Sevilla who hammered city neighbours Betis 4-0 in the last match of the evening. Bacca opened the scoring for the locals in only the second minute, running on to a Reyes lofted pass to beat Guillermo Sara. But later in the first half Molina headed a good chance wide, and Nono crashed a long shot against the upright with the keeper beaten. With four minutes to go to the break however, Paulao was sent off for a second bookable offence, and from the resulting free kick Rakitic found M'Bia for him to force a header past Sara. Soon after the interval Bacca turned a shot just wide of the post, and with just under an hour gone the Colombian striker played the ball across for Vitolo to ghost past the keeper and score from a wide angle. Iborra steered a header against the post and Fazio had a headed goal disallowed for offside, and Rubén Castro came on to shoot just wide at the other end. But with two minutes to go Iborra made it four with another header from Rakitic's corner, wrapping up a win which leaves Pepe Mel's side down at the bottom of the table.

A local clash as well a couple of hours earlier, Elche running out 2-1 winners over Valencia to move above the Ches on goal difference. Visiting coach Djukic was under pressure to get a result after only one win in the last six league games, and his side dominated the first half, Pabón, Fede and Mathieu all missing the target, Jonas and Pabón forcing good saves out of Manu Herrera, and Ricardo Costa somehow hitting the crossbar from a yard out. Fidel fired a shot straight at Diego Alves though just before the break, and twelve minutes in to the second half the midfielder got his head to an Edu Albácar cross to steer a header in off the far post. Valencia kept up the pressure though, Manu saving from Jonas and Lombán clearing Pabón's follow up header off the line, and with twenty minutes to go substitute Bernat volleyed home the equalizer just a minute after coming on. But Escribá brought on his secret weapon Christian Herrera for his first appearance with the senior side, and the young forward latched on to Coro's through ball to score the winner in the dying minutes. (24.11.13)

An amazing night of football on Saturday evening, with Spain's four Champions League sides all clocking up high scoring wins. Leaders Barcelona were first up, and even though they were missing Messi, Valdés and others, they still beat Granada 4-0. Alexis had an early header saved by Roberto before Iniesta opened the scoring from the penalty spot following a foul by Foulquier on Fàbregas, his first goal of the season and his first ever penalty. Piti rattled the crossbar soon afterwards though, and then brought a good save out of Pinto with a long free kick, but with a few minutes to go to the break Fàbregas fired home a second spot kick after Fran Rico brought down Iniesta from behind. The Andalusians were left with ten men midway through the second half when Iturra picked up a second booking, and although Pinto had to keep out Nyom, Alexis made it three just a minute later. Martino used the occasion to give a debut to 17 year old Adama Traoré, who tested Roberto soon after coming on, and with the game coming to an end Pedro completed the scoring after Sergi Roberto and Fàbregas combined to set him up.

Real Madrid went one better later in the evening, a 0-5 victory at Almería momentarily giving them second spot. Ronaldo started things off early on, connecting with Isco's pass to steer a shot past Esteban, and the visiting keeper had to save from Ronaldo and Benzema soon afterwards, Trujillo also clearing off the line from Ronaldo with the keeper beaten. However the visitors grew in confidence later in the first half, Suso and Aleix Vidal going close and Rodri bringing a good save out of Diego López, and there was a set back for Ancelotti when Ronaldo limped off soon after the restart. Jesé came on in his place though to set up Benzema for a second, and a few minutes later Bale made it three, turning the ball in to an empty net after Dubarbier failed to clear Isco's through ball. Isco himself got the third with a low shot from outside of the area just three minutes later, and Morata finished things off with a fifth goal, running on to a long pass from Casemiro before scooping a shot over the head of Esteban.

Atlético Madrid maintain the three point gap over their city rivals though after they thrashed neighbours Getafe 7-0 in the last game of the evening. The visitors held their own until midway through the first half, when Raúl García headed in Koke's corner for the opener. A few minutes later Lopo deflected the ball past his own keeper after Koke headed down Turan's cross, and with the first half coming to a close Getafe were left with ten men when Valera picked up a second yellow card. Four minutes after the break David Villa coolly turned in a third from Juanfran's cross, and Raúl García headed in his second of the night from Tiago's centre two minutes later. García came close to a hat-trick when he volleyed a shot against the crossbar, and when he went off that only brought on Diego Costa, who was back from an injury which prevented him from making his debut for Spain. The Brazilian born striker proved why everyone is talking about him with a spectacular overhead kick for his team's fifth, and Adrián set up Villa for a sixth and then scored the seventh himself with the game coming to an end.

Real Sociedad had more problems than the rest of the Champions League sides, but they eventually came back from two goals down to beat Celta 4-3. Carlos Vela had a goal ruled out by referee Muñiz Fernández for a questionable offside before he turned in a De la Bella cross to start things off. However Rafinha headed the equalizer from a Jonny Castro cross, and later in the first half Alex López put the Galicians in front with an angled shot after Augusto Fernandéz put him through. Rafinha battled past three defenders to score a third for the visitors with just under an hour on the clock, but Vela headed one back for the Basque side from a wide Chory Castro free kick just four minutes later. The Galicans were left with ten men when Fontàs was given a second caution, and Vela levelled the scores after Bergara headed the ball in to the box, the referee waving away claims for offside. Three minutes after that Vela was there again to score his fourth of the evening after Griezmann lifted the ball in to the area, completing an epic comeback which takes his side to sixth, and gives them a boost of confidence going in to Wednesday night's must-win game at Shakhtar Donetsk. (23.11.13)

Osasuna climbed out of the relegation spots after a 0-1 win at Valladolid on Friday evening. The Navarrans have been a bogey team for the home side in recent years, the last time they lost in Pucela being some twelve years ago, and there were chances at both ends in an even first half. Larsson and Ebert tested Andrés before the break, and the visiting keeper made the save of the evening from Javi Guerra after the restart, with Mariño keeping out Cejudo, Damià and De las Cuevas in reply. With six minutes to go however substitute Oier got on the end of Lolo's cross to head a winner which takes the Pamplona based side above their hosts in the table. (22.11.13)