Kone brace helps Levante keep up pace
Reuters - Sunday 27 November 2011, 22:57
Arouna Kone scored twice
and set up a third goal as La Liga surprise packages Levante
rediscovered their early-season form with a 4-0 demolition of
Sporting Gijon on Sunday.
The tiny Valencia-based club went top of the table earlier
this season for the first time since they were founded 102 years
ago but a run of three defeats meant they lost ground.
Levante are now fourth with 26 points from 13 games, eight
behind leaders Real Madrid who thumped Atletico Madrid 4-1 on
Saturday.
Jose Mourinho's side moved six points clear of second-placed
Barcelona who suffered their first defeat of the campaign at
Getafe, losing 1-0. Valencia are third with 27 points
after a 2-1 win at Rayo Vallecano on Saturday.
Sevilla climbed to fifth with 21 points after an Alvaro
Negredo penalty secured a scrappy 1-0 win at Real Zaragoza on
Sunday and they are one point ahead of Malaga who host
Villarreal on Monday.
Ivorian striker Kone stole the ball and galloped away to set
up Jose Javier Barkero for Levante's opener in the 20th minute
and then Juanlu's shot was chested over the line by Valdo just
after the break.
Kone broke clear to make it 3-0 for the home team before
pouncing on a rebound in the 62nd minute as Asier del Horno's
free-kick came back off the woodwork.
"To have 26 points at this stage of the season is the best
news for us from today," Levante coach Juan Ignacio Martinez
told reporters.
"We are the smallest team in the division and the fact we
are two points behind Barca means little. We just need to
accumulate as many points as possible."
Levante face Barca next weekend.
GOAL FROM HALFWAY
Promoted Granada upset in-form Athletic Bilbao 1-0 at San
Mames, a first-half header from Inigo Lopez ending an unbeaten
run of 11 matches in all competitions for Marcelo Bielsa's side.
Real Sociedad defender Inigo Martinez scored from the
halfway line for the second time this season to earn his
side a last-minute winner in a 3-2 victory at Real Betis.
Martinez caught keeper Casto Espinosa off his line from wide
on the left, having scored a similar effort in the Basque derby
last month.
A first win in nine matches eased the pressure on Sociedad
coach Philippe Montanier but piled it on opposite number Pepe
Mel who is without a victory in nine.
Osasuna also triumphed 2-1 at Espanyol while Real Mallorca
won by the same scoreline at home to bottom club Racing
Santander, giving coach Joaquin Caparros his first victory since
taking over at the start of October.