Real consolidate pole position after Valencia lose

Real Madrid's Beckham (L) vies with Celta's Ilic (R) during a Spanish soccer League match at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid.

Spanish league leaders Real Madrid turned on the style with three second-half goals in 16 minutes to beat Celta Vigo 4-2.

The victory consolidated the reigning champions' lead in the Spanish championship race after their nearest rivals Valencia had gone down 2-1 at struggling Espanyol.

Celta's recent arrival Sasa Ilic got his first goal for his new club, firing home a Alexander Mostovoi corner after 18 minutes, to silence the Santiago Bernabeu faithful but Real moved up a gear after the break.

Ronaldo got his 22nd goal of the season after 55 minutes, nipping in to score after Celta keeper Jose Manuel Pinto had failed to control a David Beckham header.

Real took the lead nine minutes later when Zinedine Zidane headed home a Luis Figo pass, which statistians reckoned was the Portuguese winger's 100th pass that resulted in a goal during his nine-year career in Spain.

Figo himself was on the scoresheet seven minutes later after latching onto a deep pass from Beckham.

Celta's Savo Milosevic reduced the deficit a few seconds before the end of regulation time but Zidane drove home his second two minutes into injury time as Celta's shaky defence was caught napping again.

Real now have 59 points from 26 matches with Valencia eight points in arrears, although third-placed Deportivo La Coruna are just one point further back and could go into second if they can beat Barcelona later on Sunday.

Spanish international striker Raul Tamudo got both of Espanyol's goals against Valencia, in a game played in a snow storm, to give the Barcelona-based club a glimmer of hope that they can avoid relegation.

He opened the scoring seven minutes before the break when Ivan De La Pena found him with a defence-splitting pass but Tamudo's second goal will be the one that causes Valencia keeper Santiago Canizares to cringe when he sees the replays.

Canizares completely fluffed his attempt to catch Tamudo's shot after 76 minutes and the ball hit him in the face before spinning into the net.

Mista Ferrer headed a reply for Valencia after 78 minutes but it was not enough for them to avoid suffering their second league loss in eight days.

Athletic Bilbao kept up their challenge for a place in Europe next season with a 1-0 win at Villarreal to stay in fifth.

Atletico de Madrid's Aguilera (Front) vies with Mallorca's Servian Delibasic during their Liga match at Son Moix stadium in Palma de Mallorca.

Like everywhere else in snowy Spain apart from the Santiago Bernabeu, goals were at a premium and Jonan Garcia got the only goal of the game.

Garcia's debut strike in the Spanish top flight came when he finished off a Joseba Etxeberria cross just before half time.

Atletic Madrid left it late but grabbed all three points with a 1-0 win at Real Mallorca, Fernando Torres getting the winner for the visitors a minute into injury time.

Torres had gone close earlier but finally found his target with a stunning shot from 20 metres for his 13th goal of the season, which moved Atletico up to sixth.

Malaga's Salva Ballesta retained his place as the top Spanish scorer in the first division when he got the only goal in Malaga's 1-0 win over a lacklustre Racing Santander.

Salva made his case for an international recall ahead of Euro 2004 by dancing through the Racing defence before bagging his 15th goal of the season.

At the other end of the table, the misery of bottom club Murcia increased with a 1-0 loss at home to Osasuna.

Cameroon international Pierre Webo got the decisive goal when he pounced on a loose ball after Murcia goalkeeper Roberto Bonano could only parry away a shot from John Aloisi.

However, Bonano later saved Murcia from further embarrassment.

The Argentine international stopped an Aloisi penalty at the second attempt, after the Australian striker had initially scored from the spot before the referee ruled that the kick be retaken because Osasuna players had encroached on the area.

Spanish football league table ahead of Deportivo La Coruna v Barcelona on Sunday (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points):

Note: Racing Santander deducted one point for fielding an ineligible player