Spain round-up: High-flyers miss chance

RC Deportivo La Coruña and Deportivo Alavés missed the chance to go top of the Spanish Primera División after dropping points on Sunday.

Naybet saves Deportivo
Deportivo battled back for a 1-1 draw at Malaga CF courtesy of Nourredine Naybet in the 75th minute. The Morocco defender beat the offside trap and clipped the ball past goalkeeper Pedro Contreras. Malaga had taken the lead in the 31st minute through a 20-metre thunderbolt from Uruguay striker Dario Silva. The Uruguay striker cut in from the right and let fly with his left foot.

Téllez sent off
Alavés went down 1-0 at home against Sevilla FC. The goal came in the 83rd minute from Francisco Casquero and to make matters worse for the home team, Óscar Téllez was dismissed just after the hour mark. Both results mean Real Madrid CF stay on top.

Xavi dismissed
FC Barcelona also finished with ten men after losing Spain midfield player Xavi for a second bookable offence just before half-time at Villarreal CF. But despite the disadvantage, Barcelona held on to the lead given to them by Patrick Kluivert seven minutes before the break. The Dutch international striker capitalised to crash in a loose ball after Villarreal goalkeeper Lopez Vallaejo spilled Xavi's shot.

Mallorca beaten
João Tomás scored a penalty on the stroke of half-time to give high-flying Real Betis Balompié a deserved 1-0 win over struggling RCD Mallorca. Fourth-placed Betis had the best of an uninspiring encounter, after weathering an early storm from the visitors. They finally edged ahead in first-half injury-time when Portugal striker Tomás scored from the spot after a handball in the area by defender Fernando Nino.

So near for Vallecano
Real Valladolid were held 0-0 at home by struggling CD Tenerife while bottom club Rayo Vallecano let a lead slip at Athletic Club Bilbao. Michel scored for the visitors in the 73rd minute but they could not stop Ismael Urzaiz scoring six minutes later to make it 1-1. Celta de Vigo kept up the pressure on the leading pack with a 2-0 home win over Real Zaragoza. Catanha scored first in the fifth minute before Argentinian midfield player Gustavo López doubled the advantage, and made the game safe, 15 minutes from the end.