By IANS
Madrid : The weekend’s last game in Spanish Primera Liga football saw mid-table Racing Santander score a a 2-0 win over lowly Valladolid, with second half goals from newcomers Euzebius Smolarek and Mohamed Tchite, reports DPA.
The comfortable win Sunday night leaves Santander in ninth place with 11 points from seven games. Valladolid, in contrast, are now third from bottom with just five points, three above Getafe and four above bottom team Levante.
Earlier Sunday, Real Madrid had beaten Recreativo Huelva 2-0, and Barcelona had thrashed Atletico Madrid 3-0.
These results keep Real on top with 19 points, two ahead of Barca.
The battle for the Liga title is already looking like a two-horse race, because of the defeats this weekend suffered by highly fancied Villarreal, Valencia and Sevilla.
Polish striker Smolarek put away his first goal in Spain in the 53rd minute with a fierce, left-footed drive. Two minutes from time, veteran Pedro Minutis set up Tchite to make it 2-0 with his head.
Valladolid’s frustration led to striker Joseba Etxeberria being sent off in injury time for protesting after receiving a yellow card.