European football round-up: Nine-man Deportivo squander lead over Valencia

SPAIN

Ricardo Costa's stoppage-time header earned Valencia a 3-2 victory in a topsy-turvy Primera Division encounter as bottom team Deportivo La Coruna surrendered a 2-1 lead at the Riazor and finished the game with nine men.

The match was all-action from the outset, Jonas' looping header after just 31 seconds putting Los Che ahead before Riki's brace gave Deportivo a half-time advantage.

Silvio's needless dismissal seven minutes after the restart changed the course of the game, though, as Nelson Valdez equalised and then Costa bagged a dramatic late winner - to lift Valencia to fifth - before Paulo Assuncao's red card rubbed further salt in the hosts' wounds.

There was also late drama at the Ciutat de Valencia, where Antonio Rukavina's stoppage-time own goal handed Levante a come-from-behind 2-1 triumph over Real Valladolid.

Javier Baraja had given the visitors an early lead with a sweetly struck volley but Levante equalised two minutes before half-time through Jose Barkero's fine curling free kick.

Then, in added time, Valdo miscontrolled Obafemi Martins' pass but the loose ball struck Rukavina and deflected past the helpless Dani Hernandez and into the net.

Real Sociedad stretched their impressive run to just one defeat in 11 league games but were unable to make their numerical advantage count as 10-man Celta Vigo held on for a 1-1 draw at Balaidos.

Michael Krohn-Dehli had given the hosts the lead with a wonderfully worked goal on 32 minutes but Celta were forced onto the back foot just after the break when Augusto Fernandez received a second yellow card for a handball.

Gorka Elustondo then brought Sociedad level with a powerful header from Gonzalo Castro's corner just before the hour mark, but the visitors failed to create many more clear-cut chances in the final half-hour and remained five points off the top four.

Espanyol continued their impressive revival under coach Javier Aguirre with a goalless draw at Real Zaragoza in a match of few clear-cut opportunities.

Both teams finished the match with 10 men as Espanyol's Javi Lopez and Cristian Sapunaru of Zaragoza were sent off in the closing stages.

HOLLAND

PSV Eindhoven returned to the top of the Eredivisie with a 5-1 mauling of Heracles.

First-half goals from Tim Matavz and Jeremain Lens set PSV on their way as the Eindhoven club sought to bounce back from last week's shock 3-1 home loss to Zwolle.

Heracles halved the deficit just after the hour-mark through Everton but that just served to spark PSV back into life as they responded with three goals in quick succession.

Georgino Wijnaldum made it 3-1 in the 66th minute, Dries Mertens added a fourth in the 72nd minute and then Wijnaldum completed the scoring with his second four minutes later.

PSV are now two points clear of second-placed FC Twente, who are away to fourth-placed Feyenoord today.

Seventh-placed ADO Den Haag will be disappointed not to have taken three points from the visit of relegation-battling Roda JC as they twice led and boasted a man advantage for almost the entire second half only to have to settle for a 2-2 draw.

Mike van Duinen put draw specialists ADO ahead in the 14th minute but they were pegged back through Mikolaj Lebedynski's equaliser on the stroke of half-time.

Roda were then reduced to 10 men four minutes after the break when Sanharib Malki was given his marching orders, and ADO looked to have made their extra man count when Danny Holla slotted home a 78th-minute penalty.

However, ADO lost their numerical advantage and their lead with three minutes to go when Vito Wormgoor was sent off for hand ball inside the area, conceding a penalty in the process.

ADO goalkeeper Gino Coutinho managed to turn Mark-Jan Fledderus' spot-kick onto the post, but the rebound was slotted home by the Roda midfielder to leave the home side with their 10th draw in 20 Eredivisie matches this season.

Elsewhere, Zwolle were almost brought crashing back to earth following their PSV upset as they trailed 1-0 at home to Heerenveen heading into the final six minutes, but substitute Denni Avdic cancelled out Alfred Finnbogason's 46th-minute opener to salvage a draw.

NAC Breda, meanwhile, beat RKC Waalwijk 4-0 away with Danny Verbeek (56 minutes), Jordy Buijs (58), Alex Schalk (80) and Eric Botteghin (90) the men on the scoresheet.

ITALY

Lazio slipped to defeat at home to Chievo but Serie A leaders Juventus failed to take full advantage of their slip.

The Turin club could only draw 1-1 with Genoa, meaning their advantage over the third-placed Roman club is six points rather than the eight it could have been.

On a night when former France striker Nicolas Anelka was reported to be signing for them, Juve went ahead through Fabio Quagliarella in the 54th minute, but were pegged back by Marco Borriello's 68th-minute leveller.

Earlier in the day, Alberto Paloschi sealed a smash-and-grab 1-0 win for Chievo, who needed just one sight of goal to snatch the points against a wasteful Lazio.

PORTUGAL

Benfica nudged three points ahead of Porto in their two-team race for Portugal's Liga title after winning 2-1 at Braga.

With Porto not in action until Monday, when they play Gil Vicente, Benfica set the standard for their rivals by beating the third-placed team in the top division.

Benfica went ahead when Eduardo Salvio netted after five minutes, and once Lima doubled the lead in the 35th minute it looked to be comfortable for the Lisbon-based side.

It became distinctly less so when Braga halved their deficit in the 77th minute, but the home side's hopes of an equaliser were diminished by the dismissal of defender Maximilian Haas eight minutes later.

Benfica and Porto both remain unbeaten, with Benfica boasting 13 wins and three draws so far and Porto's record showing 12 wins and three draws.

Braga remain 10 points behind Porto, and now 13 adrift of Benfica.

FRANCE

Marseille missed the chance to move a point behind Ligue 1 leaders Lyon as Romain Alessandrini's late equaliser for Rennes meant they had to settle for a 2-2 draw.

Marseille were heading for victory after Jordan Ayew volleyed home with seven minutes to go, however Rennes were not finished and Alessandrini tapped home a simple goal two minutes from the end after goalkeeper Steve Mandanda parried the ball into his path.

Earlier in the game, Andre Ayew put Marseille into a 37th-minute 1-0 lead, and Kevin Théophile-Catherine levelled for Rennes after 59 minutes.

Marseille midfielder Joey Barton wrote on Twitter: "Absolutely gutted. Feels like we've lost today. Should of [sic] been a well deserved 3pts."

Marseille stay third in the table, now level on points with Paris St Germain who will have the chance to join front-runners Lyon on 45 points when they play Lille tomorrow.

Rennes, meanwhile, remain fourth, six points behind Marseille and PSG.

Montpellier moved into seventh place with a 2-0 win over Sochaux thanks to goals by Emanuel Herrera, in the 28th minute, and John Utaka, who netted six minutes later.

At the other end of the table, Nancy won in the league for only the second time this season when they beat Lorient 2-1.

Paul Alo'o Efoulou opened the scoring for the league's bottom side nine minutes before half-time. Although Jeremie Aliadiere equalised five minutes after the break, Nancy were not to be denied and Sebastien Puygrenier hit the winner after 71 minutes.

It was Nancy's second win this week after they defeated Nice in the Coupe de France in midweek, however they still prop up the table after second-bottom Troyes beat Brest 2-1.

Fabien Camus and Stephane Darbion scored after 44 and 54 minutes respectively to give hosts Troyes a two-goal lead, and although Eden Ben Basat pulled one back in the 61st minute Troyes held on for their third league victory of the season.

Third-bottom Reims drew 1-1 with Toulouse. Etienne Capoue put Toulouse ahead after 56 minutes with Grzegorz Krychowiak levelling with a little over quarter of an hour remaining.

Evian, fourth from bottom, were matched 1-1 by Ajaccio. Dennis Oliech put Ajaccio ahead after 36 minutes before Daniel Wass levelled for the hosts in the 53rd minute.

GERMANY

Bayer Leverkusen missed the opportunity to put pressure on Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich after being held to a goalless draw by Freiburg.

It was nevertheless an entertaining encounter at the Dreisamstadion, with hosts Freiburg putting Leverkusen under pressure throughout.

Leverkusen also created chances but neither side could make the breakthrough.

The point was sufficient for Leverkusen to return to second, but Bayern can now extend their advantage at the top to 11 points when they face Stuttgart on Sunday.

Eintracht Frankfurt strengthened their grip on fourth place with a 2-1 win over Hoffenheim.

Frankfurt completed the double over their visitors thanks to goals from Martin Lanig and Stefan Aigner with Kevin Volland bringing Hoffenheim level in between.

Defeat sees Hoffenheim slip into the bottom two, behind Augsburg on goal difference.

Borussia Monchengladbach picked up their first three points of 2013 with a 2-1 victory against Fortuna Düsseldorf.

An own goal from Juanan and a Patrick Herrmann strike gave the Foals a two-goal lead at half-time.

A penalty from Dani Schahin gave Fortuna hope early in the second half but they were unable to find an equaliser.

Mainz further reduced Greuther Fürth's dwindling hopes of playing a second season in the Bundesliga with a convincing 3-0 win at the Fürth Arena.

Two goals from Adam Szalai and a Yunus Malli strike earned Thomas Tuchel's side all three points as Fürth - winless at home this season - fell apart in the second half.

First-half goals from Mohammed Abdellaoue and Mame Diouf proved decisive at the Niedersachsenstadion as 10-man Hannover held on for three points with a 2-1 win over Wolfsburg.

Hannover had new signing Sebastien Pocognoli sent off in the 34th minute and were on the ropes after Alexander Madlung halved the deficit for the visitors, but the Reds held on for the win.

The match between Augsburg and Schalke finished goalless.

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