Beauty from the beast smites Getafe
Julio Baptista scores a wonder-goal to lift Málaga to the top of Primera - but only for a few hours as Levante also occupies top spot during weekend
Málaga enjoyed its view from the summit of Primera on Saturday night after a pulsating match against Getafe at La Rosaleda sent The Anchovies to the top of La Liga.
Getafe looked set to snatch a win as it led 2-1 with 88 minutes on the clock, despite Miku's 75th-minute header appearing to hit his hand before finding the back of the net. After a goalless first half the match ignited when Pedro León, discarded by Real Madrid in the summer after joining being signed from Getafe a year earlier, unleashed an unstoppable effort after controlling a loose ball gracefully with his knee. Ruud van Nistelrooy then opened his Málaga account with a trademark poached effort when standing his ground at the far post without significant challenge to nod home a high ball.
After Miku's questionable effort, the visitor went down to 10 men after the expulsion of Mehdi Lacen and Málaga pushed forward, receiving its reward when Enzo Maresca poached another close-range equalizer for the home team. The real beauty was yet to come though, and it was delivered by "The Beast" - Julio Baptista. The Brazilian forward, almost an old hand at Málaga after signing up to the revolution in January, watched José Rondón's hopeful back-header approach and timed an overhead kick to perfection, beating Jordi Codina in the Getafe goal and sending La Rosaleda into pandemonium with 92 minutes on the clock.
Valencia, meanwhile, maintained its own more subtle challenge for the Champions League spots with another 1-0 win, its fourth of the campaign so far. On this occasion it was Granada that succumbed to Unai Emery's well-drilled team with another Real outcast, the on-loan Sergio Canales, scoring the only goal of the game with a fine left-footed strike from distance.
Málaga's reign was short-lived, however, as another of the season's surprise packages - and one without limitless oodles of cash to boot - Levante, went top after inflicting a second consecutive defeat on Real Betis, which itself had sat proudly atop the pile at the end of last weekend. Levante forward Juanlu scored the winning goal as the visitor plundered the points with a 1-0 at Villamarín to extend its unbeaten run to six matches - a feat matched only by Sevilla and Barcelona in Primera after the former's goalless tie against Atlético in the Vicente Calderón on Sunday.
However, a return of just eight goals in those six games hints at a long-term problem that will likely result in Levante's time at the top being somewhat short-lived.
In Sunday's Basque derby between Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao, Fernando Llorente scored twice to not only hand the visiting side local bragging rights until the return match at San Mamés, but also gave Marcelo Bielsa's side a vital first win of the season - and one that served to lift his team out of the relegation zone ahead of next weekend's international break.
Other results: Racing 1-1 Rayo Vallecano; Villarreal 2-2 Zaragoza; Osasuna 2-2 Mallorca.
