La Liga round-up

David Villa celebrates

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Deportivo La Coruna 1 Sevilla 3
Valencia 3 Villarreal 3

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• Sevilla
• Valencia

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  • Villarreal

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Valencia and derby rivals Villarreal produced one of the games of the season in La Liga as they shared the points in a six-goal thriller at the Mestella.

Unai Emery's men made the perfect start with just over 60 seconds on the clock when Ruben Baraja arrived unmarked in the box to head home Joaquin's teasing cross from the left flank.

And it got even better for the hosts in the 10th minute when David Albelda released David Villa, with the striker leaving Diego Leal on his backside with a neat turn before beating Diego Lopez at his near post.

Valencia squandered numerous opportunities to extend their lead in a pulsating encounter and were made to pay on the stroke of half time.

A corner from the left was flicked on at the near post by Sebastian Eguren and substitute Fabricio Fuentes, who had been brought on after an injury to Gonzalo, headed home from inside the six-yard box.

The second half continued in a similar vein to the first with Villa somehow firing over from close range after David Silva's teasing cross from the flank in the 72nd minute.

Manuel Pellegrini's men took full advantage of that let off and levelled in the 77th minute as Joseba Llorente fired home at the second attempt after Brito Renan had parried his initial effort.

Valencia responded immediately and regained the lead when substitute Edu, who had only been on the field for seven minutes, climbed highest at the far post to head beyond Lopez.

But when Joan Capdevila went to ground under Joaquin's challenge a hugely questionable penalty was awarded, with former Manchester United man Giuseppe Rossi stepping up to coolly convert in the 84th minute.

Fightback

Sevilla produced a stirring second-half fightback after being reduced to 10 men to defeat Deportivo La Coruna at the Riazor and climb into second place.

Deportivo took the lead in the 34th minute when Rodolfo Bodipo escaped down the left and drilled home a powerful shot which Andres Palop should have kept out at his near post.

And when Enzo Maresca was dismissed four minutes before the interval for an off-the-ball elbowing incident it left the visitors in deep trouble.

But the half-time introduction of striker Fredi Kanoute, who was fined in midweek for displaying a T-shirt with the word 'Palestine' on it, swung the game in Sevilla's favour.

Manolo Jimenez's bold decision paid immediate dividends as the former Spurs and West Ham forward created a yard of space and drilled in a low ball which Luis Fabiano deftly turned home at the near post.

Kanoute then delivered a superb cross to the far post which Renato met with a diving header to power the ball beyond Daniel Aranzubia in the 78th minute, with Diego Capel adding a third in injury time.