Valencia storm to second in nine-goal thriller

Madrid (AFP) – Valencia withstood a late onslaught from Real Betis to move up to second with an enthralling 6-3 win at the Benito Villamarin on Sunday.

The visitors looked to be cruising to a fifth win in eight games this season as Geoffrey Kondogbia, Goncalo Guedes, Rodrigo and Santi Mina fired them into a 4-0 lead with just over 10 minutes to go.

However, Betis threatened a stunning comeback as three goals in five minutes from Joel Campbell, Antonio Sanabria and Cristian Tello set up a thrilling finale.

More drama was to come, but at the other end as the on-fire Simone Zaza drilled home his seventh goal in eight games to make the game safe before Manchester United loanee Andreas Pereira rounded off the scoring in stoppage time.

Valencia are now four points adrift of La Liga leaders Barcelona with third-placed Real Madrid a point further back.

Leganes’s fantastic start to just their second season in the top flight also continued as they compounded more misery on Malaga with a 2-0 win at La Rosaleda to move up to sixth.

Malaga remain winless and rooted to the bottom of the table, five points off safety.

Cedric Bakambu’s double handed Villarreal a 2-1 win at Girona.

And Eibar moved out of the relegation zone despite failing to turn their dominance into goals in a 0-0 draw at home to Deportivo la Coruna.