Valencia battle out draw in la Coruna and stay fourth

MADRID - Valencia managed to battle out a 0-0 draw away to luckless Deportivo Coruna, a result which keeps “Los Ches” in fourth place in La Liga.

Deportivo would have snatched fourth place of Valencia with a win, but they were foiled by a solid visiting defence - and by the crossbar late Sunday.

Deportivo veteran Juan Carlos Valeron headed against the Valencia crossbar, then Sergio Adrian went close for the hosts.

“We had good chances to win tonight,” said Valeron, the former Spain playmaker who has just returned to action after three injury-ruined years.

“We failed to take them,” he moaned, “and they managed to get away with a draw.”

Valencia have 29 points from 15 games, one point less than third-placed Sevilla, who crashed 2-1 at home to Getafe on Saturday.

Sevilla are seven points behind second-placed Real Madrid, who thrashed Zaragoza 6-0 Saturday. Real are now just two points behind leaders Barcelona, who Saturday crowned their “annus mirabilis” by winning the World Club Cup final in Abu Dhabi.

Valencia are two points ahead of Mallorca and Deportivo, who share fifth place.

Earlier on Sunday Mallorca suffered a shock 2-1 defeat away to lowly Malaga.

Veteran midfielder Fernando put Malaga ahead in the 23rd minute, taking advantage of a blunder by Mallorca goalkeeper Dudu Aouate.

Julio Alvarez levelled for the visitors in the 57th minute after the Malaga defence had failed to clear a centre from Gonzalo Castro.

But Fernando Forestieri made it 2-1 for the hosts 13 minutes from time by heading in a centre from Victor Obinna.

“We have wasted a good chance today to go higher in the table,” said Mallorca’s Castro.

Fernando of Malaga said that “we really needed a good result, and we got it - through hard work and precision, in both penalty areas.”

Sunday’s early games were all home wins.

Villarreal beat Racing Santander 2-0 with goals from Joseba Llorente and Guiseppe Rossi. Valladolid came from behind to beat Sporting Gijon 2-1 thanks to goals from Nivaldo and the promising Haris Medunjanin.

Espanyol, meanwhile, overcame Almeria 2-0, thanks to strikes form Javi Marquez and eternal sub Ferran Corominas. Later on Sunday Almeria announced the sacking of coach Hugo Sanchez.

Later on Sunday, crisis team Atletico Madrid battled out a 1-1 draw away to Tenerife - a result which keeps them just above the danger zone.

Tenerife went ahead after just three minutes, when Juan Nino scored from close range after the brittle Atletico defence had failed to clear a Juanlu free-kick.

In the 22nd minute Jose Manuel Jurado levelled for Atletico after being set up by Diego Forlan.

Atletico went for the winner in the second half but sorely missed the craft and imagination of injured forwards Sergio Aguero and Jose Antonio Reyes.

Atletico are sixth from bottom on 14 points. Then come Santander and Almeria on 13, followed by Malaga and Zaragoza on 12 points.

Xerez are bottom with just seven and look all set for a quick return to the second division.

La Liga now takes a two-week Christmas break, until Jan 2.