MADRID — A quick-fire Pablo Piatti double secured a 2-0 win for Valencia at home to Real Sociedad Sunday that kept it on course to clinch a lucrative berth in the Champions League for next season. Valencia missed out on a place in Europe last term but its sixth win in its last seven games put it eight points clear of chasing Sevilla, which is fifth, and level with third-placed champion Atletico Madrid, which clashes in Seville later Sunday. Argentine forward Piatti fired Valencia ahead in the 53rd minute at a sun-drenched Mestalla and made it 2-0 three minutes later after good work down the right from Sofiane Feghouli. It has 53 points from 25 matches, behind Atletico on goal difference ahead of the pair's match in Madrid next weekend. Hopes are high at Valencia that a recent takeover of the club by Singapore billionaire Peter Lim will help it sort out its finances and return to being genuinely competitive in Spain and Europe. Sociedad, coached by former Manchester United manager David Moyes, is 11th on 27 points, five above the relegation places. Barcelona's 3-1 win at Granada from goals by Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi was overshadowed by little-known Alberto Bueno netting four goals in 16 minutes in Rayo Vallecano's victory Saturday. Bueno struck four times from the 23rd to the 38th minutes to lead Rayo's stunning 4-2 comeback win over Levante and send its fans at Vallecas Stadium into raptures in a remarkable first half. Bueno started his performance by canceling out Victor Casadesus' opener with a header. The attacking midfielder then put in a poor clearance by goalkeeper Diego Marino with his right foot, before slotting in a third goal with his left, and polishing off his own initial shot again with his right boot. Kalu Uche scored late for Levante. No Rayo player had ever scored four goals in one game. In 1995, Deportivo La Coruna's Bebeto scored five goals in a 5-0 thrashing of Almeria, the last four coming in a seven-minute span. Deportivo drew 0-0 at nine-man Almeria after Thievy Bifouma and Michel Macedo were both booked twice. Lyon title ambitions hit Lyon coach Hubert Fournier acknowledged its French title hope took a big hit in a 2-1 loss to Lille Saturday that opened the door for defending champion Paris Saint-Germain to move to the top. Elsewhere, Saint-Etienne's miserable year continued as it was held to 1-1 at relegation-threatened Toulouse, while Bordeaux's home match against Reims also ended 1-1. Rennes recorded its first league victory since December by winning 1-0 at second-to-last Lens, bottom club Metz lost 2-1 at home to Evian, and Lorient beat in-form Bastia 2-0. — Agencies
