Madrid, Mar 16 (UNI) Kylian Mbappe scored two goals in six minutes in the first half as Real Madrid fought back from a goal down to win 2-1 away to Villarreal and move three points clear of FC Barcelona at the top of La Liga on Saturday evening.
Madrid played the game less than 70 hours after its UEFA Champions League win over Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, and it was clear there were tired legs as goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made several big saves to deny fifth-placed Villarreal.
Juan Foyth netted home following a seventh-minute corner to put Villarreal ahead, but 10 minutes later Mbappe scored from a rebound after Brahim Diaz's shot was blocked and he netted what turned out to be the winning goal when he was allowed space to cut inside and curl the ball into the far corner of the net.
Villarreal pushed hard for an equalizer, but was denied by another impressive display from Courtois.
Vedat Muriqi's 53rd-minute own goal put Espanyol ahead in Mallorca, but he kept his nerve to score a 97th-minute penalty to win the game after Abdon Prats had drawn a foul.
Takuma Asano had canceled out Muriqi's own goal in the 65th minute when he nodded in a corner from Sergi Darder.
Marcos Alonso netted an 83rd-minute penalty as Celta Vigo won 1-0 away to bottom side Real Valladolid, who goes into the international break looking increasingly doomed to relegation.
On Friday night, Las Palmas came back from 2-0 down with two injury time goals to take a 2-2 draw in a relegation battle with Deportivo Alaves.
FC Barcelona visits Atletico Madrid on Sunday.
UNI XINHUA GNK