Surprise leader Levante continued its remarkable early-season run when Ruben Suarez netted a powerful stoppage-time free kick to snatch a 3-2 comeback victory at home to Real Sociedad Wednesday. In-form Real Madrid reclaimed second spot from Barcelona thanks to a crushing 3-0 win over struggling Villarreal, while Valencia climbed above Sevilla into fourth after Jordi Alba struck an 82nd-minute winner in a 1-0 victory at Real Zaragoza. Six straight wins had lifted unbeaten Levante, whose annual budget of around 20 million euros ($27.6 million) is one of the smallest in the league, above Barca and Real to the top of the standings for the first time in the 102-year history of the tiny Valencia-based club. Its latest success, the first time any club other than Barca and Real have won seven in a row since 2002, gives it 23 points from nine matches, one more than Real and two ahead of Barca following the champions' 1-0 win at Granada on Tuesday. “This run we are on is almost impossible,” Levante coach Juan Ignacio Martinez said at a news conference. Daniel Estrada put San Sebastian-based Sociedad ahead in the fourth minute at Levante's Ciutat de Valencia stadium. Nano levelled for the home side nine minutes after the break with a deflected shot and Valdo nodded Levante in front seven minutes later before Inigo Martinez drove the ball through a crowd of players for an 86th-minute equalizer. Suarez smashed in a superb long-range free kick deep into second-half added time to ensure Levante can live the dream for a few more days at least. In Wednesday's other games, 10-man Malaga lost 2-0 at Rayo Vallecano and stay sixth, Getafe drew 2-2 at home to Osasuna and Real Mallorca surrendered the lead to lose 2-1 against visiting Sporting Gijon.
