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Celta Vigo closer to avoiding relegation after edging Villarreal in Spanish league

59m ago
Soccer News (AP)

MADRID (AP) - Anastasios Douvikas scored the winning goal two minutes after coming off the bench as Celta Vigo moved closer to securing another season in the top tier with a 3-2 win over 10-man Villarreal.

The victory moved Celta eight points clear of the relegation zone with four rounds remaining in the Spanish league.

The Vigo club had parted ways with coach Rafa Benitez earlier this season because of the team's poor results. Claudio Giraldez has been at Celta's helm since then.

Douvikas entered the match in the 80th and scored with a header shortly after to give Celta its second win in three matches.

Goncalo Guedes had equalized in the 65th after Iago Aspas and Jorgen Larsen scored first-half goals for Celta. Albert Moreno had put Villarreal ahead in the 12th.

The visitors played a man down from the 17th when Santiago Comesana was sent off with a straight red card after video review.

Villarreal, which was coming off two straight wins, stayed in ninth place, further away from the European qualification spots.

BETIS WINS

Ayoze Perez and Pablo Fornals scored a goal each late in the first half as seventh-place Real Betis won 2-0 at 12th-place Osasuna.

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It was the third win in four matches for Manuel Pellegrini's Betis as it moved two points behind sixth-place Real Sociedad, which holds the final European qualification place.

It was the fourth straight loss for Osasuna, and sixth in seven matches.

VALENCIA LOSES

Eighth-place Valencia missed yet another chance to move closer to the European qualification places with a 1-0 home loss against Alaves.

It was the third consecutive loss by Valencia. Alaves, sitting in 11th place, has won three in row.

Real Madrid clinched the league title after a 3-0 win over Cadiz on Saturday. Girona defeated Girona 4-2 at home to take over second place.

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TALES AZZONI Azzoni is a sports reporter based in Madrid in charge of Spain and Portugal for The Associated Press. He has covered multiple World Cups and Olympic Games for the AP, as well as other major sporting events worldwide. twitter mailto "

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