Tight away wins for Real Madrid, Valencia

Real won on a late goal from defender Sergio Ramos in the 65th minute - and thanks to Getafe's poor finishing.

 The hosts hit the post twice and forced several sharp saves from Iker Casillas.

 In the 65th minute, Arjen Robben broke free down the right and centred for Ramos to push the ball into the Getafe net.

 "This was a really cruel defeat," said Getafe coach Michael Laudrup, whose team are second from bottom with just two points.

 Real keeper Casillas admitted that "Getafe were superior ... but just couldn't score."

   Two hours later Valencia took a page out of Real's book and won 1- 0 at Recreativo Huelva without playing well at all.

 The Huelva match was a scrappy, intermittent affair with no less than 13 yellow cards being shown.

 The only goal came after just five minutes, when Valencia striker David Villa took a long ball from Carlos Marchena and finished with his usual class.

 Valencia then used all their mean experience to soak up the pressure and send the crowd to sleep.

 The hosts were crippled by the sending-off of midfielder Carlos Martins for dissent seven minutes from time.

 This is Valencia's fifth consecutive league win, all by one-goal margins.

 These results leave Real top with 16 points from six games.

 In joint second place on 15 points are Villarreal - who beat Athletic Bilbao 1-0 earlier Sunday - and Valencia.

 In fourth place with 14 points are Barcelona, who on Saturday caned bottom team Levante 4-1 with a majestic hattrick from Thierry Henry.

 Atletico Madrid moved up to fifth Sunday with their third straight win, 2-0 against dull Osasuna.

 Raul Garcia opened the scoring for Atleti with an unstoppable long drive, and Sergio Aguero added a classy second.

 Aguero, only 19, is now joint league top scorer with five goals, level with fellow Argentine Lionel Messi of Barcelona.

 In sixth place now are Espanyol, who beat Deportivo Coruna 1-0 with a solitary goal goal from little Raul Tamudo.

 In Sunday's other action, Murcia won 4-1 in Valladolid, who had two men sent off, while Betis beat Mallorca 3-0 and Racing Santander won 1-0 in Almeria.

DPA