Hercules climbed off the bottom of the table with a victory at Real Sociedad, while Sevilla also won.
Giovani on target; Levante move closer to survival
Hercules climbed off the bottom of the Primera Liga table with a win at Real Sociedad, while Sevilla also moved up after defeating Real Zaragoza.
Diego Costa was the hero for Atletico Madrid at Osasuna, and Deportivo La Coruna fought back against Real Mallorca.
Giovani dos Santos was on target for Racing Santander against Espanyol, and Levante moved a step closer to survival after victory over relegation-threatened Malaga.
Miroslav Djukic enjoyed a dream debut as coach of
Hercules as his charges downed
Real Sociedad to climb off the bottom of the Primera Division standings with their first away win since September.
Djukic took over from the sacked Esteban Vigo just before the international break and inherited a side that had picked up just four points from a possible 33 since mid-January, but the former Yugoslavia international has made an immediate impact.
Javier Portillo gave Hercules the lead in the 70th minute and then Royston Drenthe, who this week was left out of training after arriving an hour late for the session, scored twice late on to make it 3-0 and seal the promoted club's first away win since stunning Barcelona at the start of the season.
Sevilla climbed to fifth place thanks to an accomplished win at home to struggling
Real Zaragoza.
The Andalusians have endured an indifferent campaign but found some form in the lead-up to this match, having drawn against Barcelona and beaten Valencia.
And they made it seven points out of a possible nine thanks to second-half penalties from Frederic Kanoute and Alvaro Negredo.
Earlier, Zaragoza's Jiri Jarosik cancelled out Diego Perotti's first-half strike just after the interval.
A Diego Costa hat-trick helped defending Europa League champions
Atletico Madrid boost their bid of a return to Europe next season in a 3-2 comeback win at
Osasuna in Sunday's late kick-off.
Kike Sola fired the home side ahead just after the half hour before Brazilian striker Costa struck once before the break and twice in four second-half minutes.
Javad Nekounam pulled a goal back with a penalty 10 minutes from time after Atletico winger Jose Antonio Reyes had previously missed from the spot.
Osasuna defender Sergio Fernandez was also sent off for an elbow on Costa in the 85th minute.
Deportivo La Coruna fought back from a half-time deficit against
Real Mallorca to claim a valuable victory in their fight to avoid the drop.
Mallorca took a 27th-minute lead through Pierre Webo - who was also sent off late on - but Depor turned the game around with two goals in 12 second-half minutes from Xisco and Nouioui Lassad to take the spoils.
Giovani headed a late winner at Cornella as
Racing Santander came from a goal down to beat
Espanyol .
Dani Osvaldo fired Espanyol into the lead from the penalty spot eight minutes before half-time, but Gonzalo Colsa replied for the visitors five minutes after the restart and Giovani sealed the points for the Cantabrians when he headed home 15 minutes from time.
Levante moved a step closer to survival thanks to a fine 3-1 win at home to relegation-threatened
Malaga.
The Valencia-based side, who boast the best record of any team other than Barcelona and Real Madrid in the second half of the championship, sealed an 11th league victory of the campaign to move nine points clear of the relegation zone with eight games still remaining.
The promoted outfit, up against a Malaga side who had won their last two matches, raced into a two-goal lead inside nine minutes through Christian Stuani and Ruben Suarez.
And although Sebas Fernandez gave Malaga hope as he pulled a goal back on the hour, Stuani wrapped up a deserved victory for the home side 10 minutes later.
