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March 2, 2015

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Piatti double keeps Valencia on course for Europe

A QUICKFIRE Pablo Piatti double secured a 2-0 win for Valencia at home to Real Sociedad yesterday that kept it on course to clinch a lucrative berth in the UEFA Champions League for next season.

Valencia missed out on a place in Europe last term but a sixth win in its last seven games put the team eight points clear of chasing Sevilla, which is fifth, and level with third-placed champion Atletico Madrid, who clash in Seville later yesterday.

Argentine forward Piatti fired Valencia ahead in the 53rd minute at a sun-drenched Mestalla and made it 2-0 three minutes later after good work down the right from Sofiane Feghouli.

Valencia has 53 points from 25 games, behind Atletico on goal difference ahead of the pair’s duel in Madrid this week.

Hopes are high at Valencia that a recent takeover of the club by Singapore billionaire Peter Lim will help it sort out its finances and return to being genuinely competitive in Spain and Europe.

Sociedad, coached by former Manchester United boss David Moyes, is 11th on 27 points, five above the relegation places.

Real Madrid can restore its four-point lead over second-placed Barcelona at the top with a win at home to Villarreal.

Barcelona trimmed the gap to one point thanks to Saturday’s 3-1 win at struggling Granada.

But that win, courtesy of goals by Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi, was overshadowed by little-known Alberto Bueno, who netted four goals in 16 minutes in Rayo Vallecano’s victory over Levante on Saturday.

Bueno struck four times from the 23rd to the 38th minutes to lead Rayo’s stunning 4-2 comeback win and send its fans at Vallecas Stadium into raptures in a remarkable first half.

Suarez scored his third goal of the week before setting up Messi as Barcelona kept the pressure on Real at the top.

Suarez, who scored twice in a 2-1 victory at Manchester City on Tuesday, arguably had his best game since joining Barcelona.

He played a part in the first goal when Ivan Rakitic finished off his rebound in the 25th. He then worked a 1-2 with Rakitic to double the lead in the 48th. Five minutes later, Granada’s Fran Rico converted a penalty, but Rakitic played Suarez through for him to generously pass to Messi in the 70th.




 

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