Primera Liga round-up

Barce win again while second place Villarreal held

By Richard Bailey   Last updated: 16th November 2008

Primera Liga round-up

Messi: Send Barca clear at the top

Related links

Teams

Also see

Barcelona stretched their lead at the top of the table to three points as they recorded their ninth straight league victory away at Recreativo Huelva.

The win never looked in doubt but it did take the Catalans until the 51st minute to break the deadlock through Lionel Messi.

Barca doubled their lead on 86 minutes when Seydou Keita tapped in Samuel Eto's cross shot.

Villarreal lost touch with Barcelona at the top as they drew 2-2 with Malaga.

Giuseppe Rossi put the away side 1-0 up before Sergio Duda equalised for Malaga.

Joseba Llorente thought he had won it for Villarreal but Miguel Rosario grabbed an injury-time equaliser.

Atletico Madrid leapfrogged Deportivo La Coruna to move into sixth position when the two sides met at the Vicente Calderon.

Two goals from Diego Forlan and goals from Maxi Rodriguez and Johnny Heitinga helped Atletico to a 4-1 win while defender Luis Filipe grabbed a late consolation for Depor.

Fifth placed Sevilla moved level on points with Real Madrid after they eased to a 2-0 win away at Getafe.

Luis Fabiano claimed only his fourth goal of the season before Tom De Mul came off the bench to secure the points in injury-time.

Athletic Bilbao recorded only their second win of the season when they overcame fellow strugglers Osasuna 2-0 at the San Mames.

Fernando Llorente made sure of the points with a late strike after Joseba Garmendia Elorriaga had given the Basque outfit the lead.

The result leaves Osasuna second bottom, a place below Bilbao.

Espanyol and Numancia produced a seven goal thriller in Barcelona with the away side coming out on top.

Numancia took the lead through Txomin Nagore but Hurtado Moises equalised for the home side.

Antonio Guaryre restored Numancia's advantage but goals from Daniel Gonzalez and a Raul Tamudo penalty gave Espanyol a 3-2 lead.

But the home fans were left stunned as two goals in the last five minutes from Jose Barkero and sub Carlos Bellvis gave Numancia victory.

The 4-3 win sees Numancia climb out of the bottom three.

Real Betis moved up to 10th in the table after they comfortably overcame Racing Santander 3-1 at home thanks to a double from Sergio Garcia.

Achille Emana claimed the home sides' other goal before Pedro Munitis scored for Racing in the closing stages of the match.

The result means Betis are just three points off Atletico Madrid in sixth.

Almeria recorded back to back victories in the league after they saw off Real Mallorca 2-1 at home with striker Alvaro Negrado bagging a brace.

Alhassane Keita got a goal back for Mallorca but it proved too little too late for the islanders.

The win moves Almeria into eighth place in the league.

Spain. Click here to bet.