Soccer-Primera Liga reports

Brief reports of matches played in the Primera Liga on Sunday:

BARCELONA 3 GIMNASTIC 0

Barca reclaimed top spot with this win over basement side Gimnastic but it was not as easy as the scoreline might suggest.

Javier Saviola put Barca in front with a sharp strike on the turn to take his tally to seven goals in four games, but Barca struggled to make further inroads until French winger Ludovic Giuly hooked in from close range midway through the second half.

Midfielder Andres Iniesta finished the job when he drilled in from the edge of the area 10 minutes from time. - - - -

DEPORTIVO CORUNA 0 ESPANYOL 0

Plenty of action but no goals at the Riazor as both teams spurned some great chances to find the net.

Depor striker Angel Arizmendi somehow contrived to miss from a metre out in the first half, sending his shot against the underside of the bar, and had a fine goal ruled out for a borderline offside in the second.

Opposite number Raul Tamudo followed suit when he hit the base of the post just after the hour. - - - -

GETAFE 1 CELTA VIGO 0

Fresh from their crushing 4-2 victory over Valencia in the Cup in midweek, Getafe took just 41 seconds to find the net against Celta, forward Manu del Moral curling a shot into the corner after exchanging a slick one-two with Daniel Guiza.

Celta, who had defender Pablo Contreras sent off in the final minute, have now gone eight games since their last win and coach Fernando Vazquez could now find his job under threat. - - - -

LEVANTE 0 ATHLETIC BILBAO 0

A point for Levante's coach Abel Resino on his debut in charge of the Primera Liga side, but neither team will be happy with the draw as they try to distance themselves from the relegation dog-fight. - - - -

REAL BETIS 1 RACING SANTANDER 1

Racing looked to be on course for victory when defender Ezequiel Garay smashed home from the penalty spot five minutes from time after Betis keeper Toni Doblas had ploughed into Pedro Munitis as they competed for the ball in the area.

But Betis equalised two minutes later, winger Xisco finding the net when he sent a delicate volley looping into the far corner after Racing keeper Tono had punched the ball out of the area. - - - -

REAL MALLORCA 0 REAL MADRID 1

A brilliant free kick from Jose Antonio Reyes allowed Real to sneak a valuable away win at the end of a turbulent week marked by their exit from the King's Cup and outspoken criticism of the players by club president Ramon Calderon.

Mallorca made the running for most of the game, but Real made off with the points when Reyes curled the ball superbly into the top corner 13 minutes from time. - - - -

REAL SOCIEDAD 0 VALENCIA 1

Valencia chalked up their sixth league win in a row thanks to a superbly struck free kick from David Villa.

The Spain striker left Sociedad keeper Victor Bravo standing when he whipped a stunning 25-metre shot into the net just before the half hour to inflict a morale-sapping defeat on the struggling Basque side. - - - -

REAL ZARAGOZA 0 RECREATIVO HUELVA 0

Recreativo keeper Javier Lopez Vallejo was the star of the show at La Romareda, producing a string of outstanding saves to deny a dominant Zaragoza.

His best efforts came when he produced a great reaction save to stop an overhead kick from Pablo Aimar in the first half and then got his fingertips to a goal-bound free kick from the Argentine playmaker in the second. - - - -

Played Saturday:

ATLETICO MADRID 1 OSASUNA 0

A late strike from Portuguese centre-back Ze Castro allowed Atletico to scramble a win over Osasuna who were reduced to seven men late on in a fractious encounter at the Calderon.

Atletico looked to have blown their chances when Fernando Torres fluffed a 78th-minute penalty the award of which had resulted in the dismissal of Osasuna defender Carlos Cuellar.

Ze Castro spared Torres's blushes when he steered in from the edge of the area soon after, but the game ended in chaos when Osasuna striker Roberto Soldado, keeper Ricardo and midfielder Raul Garcia were all sent off in the closing minutes. - - - -

VILLARREAL 0 SEVILLA 0

Sevilla continued their poor start to the year with a goalless draw against a battling Villarreal who appear to be improving despite the absence of Argentine playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme.

Sevilla, who had lost their previous two matches, had the better of the second half but leading striker Frederic Kanoute missed the best chance of the match on the hour when he sliced wide of the post with just the keeper to beat.