Villa puts Valencia back on top in Spain
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Article summary
David Villa took his total to four goals from four Liga games, scoring twice as Valencia CF returned to the top of the table with a 2-0 win at Málaga CF, while there were also victories for RCD Mallorca and Real Valladolid CF.
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Lucky break
Spanish international Villa had fluffed an early chance at La Rosaleda, and Valencia might have been made to pay for that miss had Nabil Baha not fluffed a 69th-minute opportunity. Within a minute, Valencia were ahead as Villa headed home from a Juan Mata. Still without a league goal this season, Málaga had Salvador Ballesta dismissed for a foul on Edu before Villa wrapped things up with a second strike in added time.
Goal and off
In Thursday's other top-flight games in Spain, Valladolid ran out 2-0 winners at home against UD Almería, with Álvaro Rubio scoring the first but being sent off before Haris Medunjanin's late goal settled matters. Athletic Club Bilbao salvaged a 1-1 draw from their trip to RC Recreativo de Huelva, while Mallorca earned their first win of the season thanks to a wonderful individual effort from José Manuel Jurado and Pierre Webó's header from a corner