First division, day 2

Two headed goals from Samuel Eto'o gave Barcelona a comfortable 2-0 win over Mallorca. The presence of the Camerooni striker was in doubt before kick off after a blow on the head in training required hospital treatment, but he lined up from the start and proved he had recovered when he headed Van Bronckhorst's cross down past Moyà midway through the first half. And five minutes later Eto'o was on hand to score a second after the keeper could only block a fierce shot from Giuly, getting ahead of his marker to force the ball into the net after it rebounded off the bar. The second half was virtually all one way traffic towards the visitors' goal, especially after Ballesteros and then Farinós were sent off for second bookable offences, but Moyà and his defence prevented the scoreline from getting any worse.

Getafe and Athletic Bilbao both started their match with a chance of joining the joint leaders at the top of the table, but in the end they cancelled each other out in a 1-1 draw. Güiza put the Madrid based side ahead around the half hour mark with a coolly taken chip over the head of Aranzubia, but Casas showed that Del Horno won't be missed when he came from the back of the penalty area to head home Yeste's corner on the stroke of half time. Despite dropping points, both sides still occupied Champions League spots at the end of the weekend.

A late goal from substitute David Villa saved a point for Valencia at Zaragoza. The Spanish international striker ran on to Mista's through ball to make it 2-2 just a couple of minutes after coming on against his old side, but refused to celebrate the goal out of respect for the local fans. Angulo had put the visitors ahead in the first minute of the match, but Ewerthon equalised a few minutes later before leaving the field early due to an injury. Cani came on to replace him and headed his side into the lead later in the first half, but they couldn't build on the lead and in the end allowed their opponents back in the game.

Villarreal and Sevilla both appeared to have their minds on their midweek European commitments as they played out a 1-1 draw in the Madrigal stadium. Local manager Pellegrini left several of his first choice players on the bench, but then lost Riquelme to an injury in the first half. Adriano put the visitors ahead before the interval, and Kanouté should have made it two when he drove a penalty wide of the mark on the stroke of half time. Figueroa came on though to level the scores after the restart and give his side their first point of the new campaign.

After defeats in their opening matches, Málaga and Espanyol started one of the last games of the weekend knowing that the loser would end the day in the relegation spots. And in the end that dubious honour fell to the locals after the Catalan side ran out 1-2 winners. Zabaleta opened the scoring after picking up a pass from new signing Luis García before the interval, and García himself got the second on the hour mark after good work by Tamudo. Gerardo pulled one back from the penalty spot two minutes from the end after Chengue Morales was fouled, but Tamudo should have increased the lead with a second penalty a minute later which Arnau saved.

Real Sociedad climbed off the bottom of the table with a 2-1 win over Basque rivals Alavés. It was the San Sebastian side's second derby game in a row, but this time they made the early running, Barkero opening the scoring from the penalty spot in the tenth minute after Sarriegi fouled Kovacevic. Barkero got himself a second goal before half time with a free kick which Bonano couldn't prevent from entering the net, but the visitors put up a good fight and reduced the gap with an injury time free kick from De Lucas.

Cádiz proved that they intend to do their utmost to stay in the top flight after a 0-1 victory over Racing Santander. If anything the locals had the better of a dull first half, but the game appeared to be heading for a scoreless draw until Dudu Aouate could only parry a long shot from Estoyanoff, and Jonathan Sesma nipped in to head the rebound into an empty net. The defeat left the Cantabrians in the bottom three without a point from their first two games. (11.09.05)

Sensation at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, where Real Madrid lost 2-3 to newly promoted Celta thanks to a goal which didn't enter the net. With the scores tied at two all, a shot from Canobbio bounced down off the crossbar and away. But the linesman incorrectly informed referee Ramírez Domínguez that the ball had crossed the line and awarded the goal. The Galicians had already surprised their hosts in the eighth minute when Contreras opened the scoring after Baiano had headed against the bar, but Ronaldo equalised from the penalty spot ten minutes before the break after Baptista had been fouled. Baptista himself headed Madrid into the lead soon afterwards, but Antonio Nuñez levelled the scores on the stroke of half time, heading past Casillas after the keeper had pushed out another penalty kick from Canobbio.

Celta move to the top of the table with the maximum six points, level with their neighbours Deportivo La Coruña who beat Atlético Madrid 1-0. Despite the result it was a lively match with many chances for both sides, the locals in particular hitting the bar and having other efforts stopped by Leo Franco and his defence. It looked though as if Atlético were heading for their second scoreless draw in a row before Sergio set up Capdevila for the winner in the fourth minute of injury time.

In a repeat of last season's Spanish cup final, Betis once again beat Osasuna, this time running out1-0 winners thanks to a second half penalty from Oliveira. Neither keeper had much work to do until a quarter of an hour after the restart, when one of the Pamplona based side's two twin brothers Miguel Flaño tripped Xisco inside the area.Oliveira converted the kick to set his side up well for forthcoming Champions League tie with Liverpool. (10.09.05)