MADRID, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Villarreal kept up its hunt for a place in next season's Champions League with a 2-1 win at home to Elche on Sunday that further deepens Elche's relegation fears.
Tajon Buchanan's cutback and shot put Villarreal ahead after 30 minutes and defender Santiago Mourino doubled the lead 10 minutes later with a powerful shot.
The game looked closer to 3-0 at the start of the second half, but Elche was able to hang on and Andre Silva's goal in the 82nd minute set up a tense finish with Villarreal forced to defend deep.
Betis' top-four hopes suffered a major setback with a 2-0 defeat away to Getafe, who followed Monday night's win over Real Madrid with another impressive result. Kiko Femenia and Martin Satriano scored in the closing minutes of the first half to put the hosts in control.
Sevilla and Rayo Vallecano ended the weekend six points above the relegation zone after a 1-1 draw in the Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium. Akor Admas put Sevilla ahead after 13 minutes, but Rayo took a point thanks to Alfonso Espino's 50th-minute equalizer, with both teams happy with a point in the closing minutes.
Hugo Duro scored a 99th-minute penalty as Valencia came back from 2-1 down to beat Alaves 3-2 and move clear of the relegation zone.
Alaves had led 2-1 thanks to two goals from Lucas Boye, with Javier Guerra equalizing the first goal and Eray Comert making it 2-2 in the last minute of regular time with a powerful volley.
Duro won the game after Jon Pacheco was penalized for a shirt pull, with Pacheco sent off for a second yellow card and Ander Guevara also dismissed for his protests to ruin Quique Sanchez Flores' debut as Alaves coach. ■
