Xerez secure first top-flight win to compound Villarreal´s misery

After a 62-year wait promoted Xerez finally won their first ever game in the Spanish top-flight on Sunday defeating Villarreal 2-1 to move off the bottom of the table at Villarreal’s expense.

Antonito scored a dramatic 79th-minute winner for Xerez’s historic win as Villarreal and their under-pressure coach Ernesto Valverde experienced a new low by slumping to the foot of the table.

Veteran French midfielder Robert Pires had actually put Villarreal ahead in the 17th minute but Mario Bermejo equalised for the hosts in the 42nd minute and Antonito struck the decisive blow 11 minutes from time.

Villarreal, runners-up just two seasons ago, were expected to be challenging for the Champions League berths this season but have slumped since the summer departure of coach Manuel Pellegrini to Real Madrid and his successor Valverde continues to wait for his maiden win in charge.

The team’s current plight was summed up in the 85th minute when Argentine defender Gonzalo Rodriguez received a straight red card for a cynical elbow.

The top five teams were all in action on Saturday as champions Barcelona saw their lead at the top shaved to a point following a 0-0 draw at Valencia.

“We tried to win the match but they caused us problems,” said Barca coach Pep Guardiola. “We aren?t capable of winning 38 games in a season.”

Real Madrid defeated Valladolid 4-2 to close to within a point of Barcelona and move three points ahead of Sevilla who saw a sequence of five wins come to an end with a 1-0 loss at Deportivo La Coruna.

La Coruna are having a fine season and four straight wins have helped them upto fifth.

Another team performing better than expected is Real Mallorca who thrashed Getafe 3-1 on Sunday with a brace from Aritz Aduriz helping them move above Valencia into fifth two points off the top four.

In other matches, Espanyol overcame Tenerife 2-1 on Sunday thanks to a brace from Ivan Alonso.

Travel-sick Tenerife have yet to collect a point on their travels and are a single point above the relegation zone while Espanyol climbt to seventh.

Atletico Madrid travel to Osasuna later on Sunday looking to push into the top half of the table after a stuttering start.

Atletico coach Abel Resino revealed that striker Diego Forlan, the league?s top-scorer last season, would be given a break after his international exertions with Uruguay.

“It was planned for him (Forlan) to sit this game out,” said Resino. “He played two intensive games (for Uruguay) and did a lot of travelling. It is normal that he has a rest at this stage.”