Seville, Spain – Atletico Madrid remained within three points of Real Madrid on Sunday as Radamel Falcao's goal in the 76th minute was enough for a 1-0 victory over Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium.
Falcao's goal gives him 26 on the season and continues to raise his stock for clubs around Europe, while it also extended Atletico's unbeaten streak to five matches.
Neither side managed to put a shot on target in a tight first half, and it was Atletico goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois who was called upon first shortly after the break as he got down to keep out a header from Coke.
The deadlock was finally broken 14 minutes from time when Raul Garcia's volley was played through the face of goal for Falcao to stab home from close range.
Sevilla had two good chances to level the contest over the final 10 minutes, but Alvaro Negredo's header from a few yards failed to hit the target, while Ivan Rakitic saw his free kick rattle the crossbar in stoppage time.
Espanyol 2, Getafe 0
Getafe, Spain - Getafe's hopes of reaching the Europa League took a hit on Sunday as the club sustained a 2-0 home defeat against Espanyol, which extended its unbeaten streak to five games.
Joan Verdu's first-half goal had Espanyol in front in a tight match with few chances, but things got easier for the visitors after halftime.
Getafe was reduced to 10 men in the 52nd minute as Borja Fernandez was sent off, while Federico Fernandez also saw red for the hosts 20 minutes later, leaving Getafe to play the final 18 minutes with nine men.
Christian Stuani scored almost immediately after when he finished off Diego Colotto's pass and helping to hand Getafe a second successive defeat, leaving the club six points out of a place in the top six.
Deportivo 1, Athletic Bilbao 1
Madrid, Spain - Deportivo inched a bit further from the relegation zone on Sunday after a 1-1 home draw with Athletic Bilbao, which also sits in the bottom half of La Liga.
Deportivo entered the contest having won its last four games to climb out of the bottom three, and the home side looked to be on course for another three points when Bruno Gama's shot sailed just under the crossbar and past goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz.
But Athletic responded within six minutes through Fernando Llorente, who headed home Andoni Iraola's cross.
Bilbao had lost three of its last four ahead of the match, and had to hold on for a point over the final nine minutes as Ander Iturraspe received his second yellow card in the 81st minute.
Osasuna 0, Real Sociedad 0
Navarra, Spain - Osasuna did enough to grind out a 0-0 draw at home against Real Sociedad on Sunday, moving the club four points clear of the relegation places.
Sociedad brought a 13-match unbeaten streak into the contest, and although it continues with the result, the club is now just two points clear of fifth- place Valencia for a place in the Champions League next season.
The best chance of the match for either side came in the first half when Sociedad's Imanol Agirretxe had a header denied by the post.
Otherwise, Osasuna will be the happier of the two sides with the result after a run of five defeats in six games.
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