BARCELONA — Lionel Messi scored twice to help Spanish leader Barcelona roll to a 5-0 win at Rayo Vallecano Saturday, as coach Tito Vilanova established the best start for a first-year coach in the 113-year history of the Catalan club. Cesc Fabregas set up David Villa's 20th-minute opener to put Barcelona on its way. Messi then scored his 16th and 17th goals in all competitions this season in a second half that also saw Xavi Hernandez and Fabregas find the net. Messi's two strikes, the first an unstoppable blast from the edge of the box, the second a showcase of fancy footwork to undo the defense, took his league leading tally to 13 goals, four more than Atletico's Radamel Falcao and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi has 73 goals for club and country in 2012, leaving him two shy of matching Brazil great Pele's milestone of 75 in 1958. Barcelona's eighth win in its first nine games kept it unbeaten and lifted it three points ahead of Atletico before its game against last-place Osasuna Sunday. The no-nonsense win also kept up Barcelona's pressure on Madrid by opening an 11-point gap ahead of the defending champion's tough test at Mallorca. Rayo's pressure up the pitch earned three corner kicks in the first 10 minutes while disrupting Barcelona's passing attack and surprisingly disputing its usual domination of possession. But one pass by Fabregas to meet Villa's run inside from the left for the striker to slot home was all it took to turn the tables for good. Messi decided the match shortly after halftime. Pedro played wide for back Martin Montoya to send in a cross that the Argentina forward controlled before ripping the ball beyond the goalkeeper with a vicious left-footed strike. Jemez was sent off in the 76th apparently for complaining about the refereeing. The loss of its manager unraveled Rayo, which left Xavi and Fabregas unmarked to volley in crosses in the 78th and 80th. Messi then cut through the demoralized defense and dribbled around the stranded goalie to score at pleasure a minute before time to record his sixth brace of the young season to with one hat trick. Also, Malaga remained third — four points behind Atletico — after drawing 0-0 at struggling Espanyol, while Salva Sevilla's early goal gave Real Betis a 1-0 home win over Valencia. Betis' victory lifted it provisionally into fourth place, trailing Malaga by two points. Madrid and Sevilla are both two points behind Betis heading into their games Sunday. Celta Vigo held on with 10 men for nearly 40 minutes to earn a 1-1 home draw with Deportivo. — AP
