Valencia defeat Real Betis for third successive win

MADRID (AFP) - Champions League hopefuls Valencia extended their winning streak in the Spanish league with a 2-1 away win over Real Betis on Sunday, their third consecutive La Liga victory.

Valencia's Portuguese international Miguel, who earlier this week extended his contract with the club until 2012, opened the scoring in the 69th minute with a powerful low drive which Betis keeper Ricardo was unable to stop.

Former Betis star Joaquin Sanchez made it 2-0 for Valencia seven minutes from time but did not celebrate even as he got a standing ovation from the stands.

The 26-year-old, who spent seven years at the club, had said before the match that scoring against Betis would "be the saddest goal".

Four minutes later Rafael Sobis scored for Betis with a long ball over the top that ended up being nothing more than a consolation goal.

Villarreal, who have had one of their strongest-ever starts to a season, beat Murcia 2-0 at home with two goals in the dying moments of the match from Giuseppe Rossi.

Rossi teamed up with Guille Franco to open the scoring in the 85th minute and netted a second goal four minutes later with an assist from Matias Fernandez.

UEFA Cup contenders Zaragoza claimed their first win of the season with a 2-1 defeat of Osasuna with goals from Matuzalem and Diego Milito.

Athletic Bilbao defeated minnows Levante 2-1 with two goals from Aritz Aduriz.

Getafe and Deportivo Coruna were held to a goalless draw while Almeria and Mallorca drew 1-1.

Defending champions Real Madrid will be looking to extend their winning streak to five in all competitions when they visit midtable Valladolid later on Sunday while UEFA Cup contendors Altetico Madrid will face Racing Santander, who have not lost a league match this season, at home.

Real are at the top of the league table having won all three La Liga matches so far and head into the match buoyed by their 2-1 win over Werder Bremen in the Champions League on Tuesday.