Soccer-Falcao help keeps Atletico hot on Barca's heels

Posted Monday, October 29, 2012 by YAHOO Sport

MADRID, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Radamel Falcao scored his 10th league goal of the season and helped Atletico Madrid rejoin Barcelona at the top of La Liga in a 3-1 victory at home to basement side Osasuna on Sunday.

The in-form Colombia striker pulled away from his marker and volleyed Atletico's third high into the net after 73 minutes, sealing an eighth straight league victory for Diego Simeone's side.

The Europa League winners last lost a competitive match back in April last season and continued their impressive start to the campaign when Miranda and Raul Garcia put them 2-0 up in the first half.

Osasuna pulled one back just before halftime but Atletico always looked more dangerous and moved on to 25 points from nine games, the same as Barca who have a superior goal difference.

Tito Vilanova's side thrashed Rayo Vallecano 5-0 away with a double from Lionel Messi on Saturday that helped him to reach 301 senior career goals.

Champions Real Madrid are 11 points behind the top two in sixth but can cut the deficit with a victory at Real Mallorca in the late game.

Malaga are third on 18 points after a 0-0 draw at Espanyol on Saturday and Real Betis were two points back in fourth thanks to their 1-0 win at home to Valencia.

Levante climbed to fifth, also on 16 points, when Nigeria striker Obafemi Martins celebrated his 28th birthday in style with a double in a 3-1 victory over Granada.

Martins created both his goals by robbing the ball off defenders and helped maintain Levante's unbeaten home record.

Inconsistent Sevilla slipped down to seventh with 14 points after losing 2-1 at Real Zaragoza to first-half strikes from Helder Postiga and Ionut Sapunaru.

Marcelo Bielsa's Athletic Bilbao are still struggling to get anywhere near the heights they hit last season, when they reached the King's Cup and Europa League finals, as they slumped 2-1 at home to Getafe.

Juan Rodriguez headed the visitors in front and a spectacular overhead kick from Alvaro Vazquez sealed the points in the 58th.

Bilbao substitute Fernando Llorente, who said he wanted to leave the club back in the close season, headed against the crossbar and Mikel San Jose finally pulled one back with the last kick of the game.