Sport

Modest Vallecano continue to eclipse rivals

Rayo Vallecano won 2-1 at Valladolid yesterday to return to the top of Spain's Premier League

Mon Nov 01 1999 - 00:00

Rayo Vallecano won 2-1 at Valladolid yesterday to return to the top of Spain's Premier League. Jose Ferron gave the newly-promoted outfit an 11th minute lead only for Victor to square the match after 69 minutes. But young prospect Carlos Llorens grabbed what proved to be the winner with seven minutes remaining.

It is Rayo's third stint at the summit this season - a position they have never reached previously in their 75-year history. They are also eclipsing city rivals Atletico and Real Madrid, the reigning world club champions. Now Rayo have a two-point lead over Barcelona who had been top of the standings at the start of the weekend.

And just to complete the perfect weekend for the unfashionable side, Celta Vigo, who also had a chance to go top had Rayo failed, were defeated at Alaves thanks to a solitary goal from veteran former Spanish international forward Julio Salinas.

Defending champions Barcelona lost 2-1 at Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday while Real Madrid were humbled on home soil 3-1 by city rivals Atletico.

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Real got off to a fine start with an eighth-minute goal from Fernando Morientes. But Atletico hit back with a vengeance. Dutch striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, recruited from Leeds in the close season, outpaced a leaden-footed Real defence to equalise. Then Jose Mari put Atletico back in front and Hasselbaink bagged his second with a superb effort from the edge of the box.

Nigerian Finidi George scored the only goal in a home victory for Real Betis against Real Sociedad in the Basque side's first game under new coach Javier Clemente, the former national team boss.

In Italy yesterday, Alessandro Del Piero steered Juventus into second place in Serie A and just a point behind leaders Lazio after converting a penalty to beat Piacenza 1-0.

Lazio had snatched a lastminute 1-1 draw on Saturday night against Inter Milan. Champions AC Milan, who travel to face Galatasaray in Istanbul this week, were held to a miserable 00 draw at Verona.

Swiss police have issued a warrant for Turkish international Hakan Sukur's arrest, according to press reports in Ankara. The striker, known as the `Bull of the Bosporus', is wanted in connection with an alleged bust-up with a journalist at Zurich airport in January.