La Liga wrap: Sevilla win, Hercules battle on

Sevilla defeated Real Zaragoza 3-1 in La Liga on Sunday, while relegation-threatened Hercules secured a crucial win away to Real Sociedad.

Argentine winger Diego Perotti opened the scoring for home side Sevilla just before the break at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

They were pegged back moments after the interval when veteran Czech midfielder Jiri Jarosik found the net for Zaragoza.

But second-half penalties from strikers Frederic Kanoute and Alvaro Negredo saw Gregorio Manzano?s team retain fifth place on the league table.

Hercules have renewed hope in their battle to avoid the drop after recording a 3-1 win at Real Sociedad.

Three goals in the final 20 minutes helped Hercules break a five-game losing run and extend Sociedad?s winless drought to five.

Forward Javier Portillo struck first on 70 minutes, before on-loan Real Madrid midfielder Royson Drenthe scored a brace in the last five minutes to give Hercules victory.

In other matches, Levante defeated struggling Malaga 3-1 at home, with Christian Stuani and Ruben Suarez putting the hosts 2-0 up inside the opening nine minutes.

Sebastian Fernandez pulled a goal back for Malaga in the 61st minute, before Uruguayan forward Stuani completed his brace to make sure of the victory for Levante.

Espanyol suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat at home to Racing Santander.

Striker Pablo Osvaldo gave the hosts the lead from the penalty spot 37 minutes into the match, but second-half goals from Gonzalo Colsa and Giovani dos Santos gave Santander a surprise win.

Deportivo La Coruna recorded an important 2-1 victory over Mallorca to climb five points clear of the relegation zone.

Cameroon international Pierre Webo struck first for Mallorca but on-loan Newcastle United forward Xisco and Lassad Nouioui both struck after the break to help Deportivo come out on top.

Mallorca finished the match with ten men when Webo was shown a straight red card in added time.

In the late kick-off, Kike Sola put Osasuna 1-0 up at home to Atletico Madrid, but a hat-trick from Brazilian striker Diego Da Silva Costa saw the visitors turn the match on its head.

Spain international Jose Antonio Reyes missed a penalty to make it 4-1 on 69 minutes.

Iran international Javad Nekounam did score from the spot to get Osasuna back to 3-2, but the hosts were unable to find an equaliser.

They ended the match a man down when Sergio received his marching orders with six minutes to go.