Madrid: Valencia consolidated its lead in the Spanish league with a tightly fought 2-1 home win against Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.
Valencia has won five and drawn one. On 16 points, it is four clear of Villarreal and Barcelona. On Sunday, Villarreal hosts Racing Santander and Barcelona welcomes Mallorca. Fourth-place Real Madrid, on 11 points, is at home against Deportivo La Coruna.
In the 11th minute, Roberto Soldado burst into the area, running onto Pablo Hernandez's backheel and delivered a pinpoint cross to Aritz Aduriz, who headed in against his old Bilbao club.
Substitute Vicente Rodriguez scored the second in injury time, receiving the ball from Chori Dominguez and wrongfooting goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz before shooting.
Igor Gabilondo cut the deficit with a left-footed direct free kick just before fulltime in a frantic finale.
Ten-man Zaragoza came from two goals down to draw 2-2 against Sporting Gijon and Real Sociedad beat Espanyol 1-0 after an own goal by Juan Daniel Forlin.
Valencia was seeking to bounce back from its 1-0 midweek defeat against Manchester United in the Champions League and quickly took control. Manuel Fernandes was outstanding in midfield in the first half and had a penalty appeal waved away after he fell in the area in the opening minutes.
Iraizoz did well to save Hernandez's low shot in the 25th as Valencia piled on the pressure.
Bilbao had a rare chance when Fernando Llorente received the ball in the area, although the Spain striker failed to get a clear shot. Llorente was the focus of most of Bilbao's early attacks, though Valencia's defence ensured he rarely got the ball in space.
Valencia could have been several goals ahead by halftime and shortly before the break, Aduriz nearly scored his second when he controlled Juan Manuel Mata's looped pass and shot just wide of the left post.
In the second half, Valencia started to tire and Bilbao pressured. Goalkeeper Cesar Sanchez had to rush out to beat Javier Martinez to an Aitor Ocio cross. Martinez landed badly, injuring his leg and was replaced by Iker Muniain.
Bilbao improved with the change and an on-target shot by Markel Susaeta was blocked by the body of teammate Llorente.
Valencia had less chances in attack as the game wore on. Vicente went on for Mata and Valencia coach Unai Emery took off Soldado, who was riled by defender Ocio's physical marking, and sent in Dominguez. Sofiane Feghouli went in for Hernandez.
At Zaragoza's La Romareda, Gijon went ahead in the 33rd minute when Ivan Obradovic knocked the ball into his own net as he tried to defend a cross from Alberto Lora.
Zaragoza's Jiri Jarosik was sent off for bringing down Diego Barral and Diego Castro converted the 49th-minute penalty.
Florent Sinama-Pongolle struck back for the hosts in the 57th, firing a fierce shot into the top of the net from inside the area. Sinama-Pongolle, on loan to Zaragoza from Sporting Lisbon, struck again four minutes later, with a left-foot shot past goalkeeper Juan Pablo Colinas on the counterattack.
Antonio Doblas kept Zaragoza in the game with a last-ditch save of substitute Mate Bilic's header in the 80th.
Zaragoza was still without a win this season and was bottom of the standings with three points after six games. Gijon was 15th with five points.
Both sides had a handful of chances to take three points at Real Sociedad's Anoeta Stadium, although the hosts were in control for much of the game.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 84th when Carlos Kameni could not hold a long-range effort by Jeffrey Sarpong and the ball bounced into the goal off defender Forlin.
The result meant Real Sociedad was 12th on seven points and Espanyol was sixth on nine points.
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