Celta pull level with Barcelona and Real Madrid as magic start continues at Villarreal

Celta Vigo forward Nolito, second right, celebrates his goal against Villarreal with teammates. Jose Jordan / AFP

Celta Vigo forward Nolito scored in the 90th minute to snatch a 2-1 win at 10-man Villarreal and pull the visitors level with Real Madrid and Barcelona at the top of the Spanish league.

Nolito and attacking midfielder Fabian Orellana kept Celta unbeaten after each scored a goal in a clash between the two of the league’s best passing teams at El Madrigal Stadium.

Nolito netted the winner from a rebound after Orellana’s shot came off the post.

“We think we can beat anyone, that we can go to any ground and show that we can win because we are a solid team that works hard and is dangerous,” said coach Eduardo Berizzo, whose Celta side stunned Barcelona 4-1 last month.

Celta’s win left Madrid as leaders on goal difference after their 3-0 victory over Levante on Saturday. Celta are second, followed by Barcelona in third after the defending champions routed Rayo Vallecano 5-2.

Villarreal, who entered the round in first place, fell all the way to fifth, two points off the pace.

Atletico Madrid moved into fourth on goal difference with a 2-0 win at Real Sociedad.

Villarreal dominated possession for the first 25 minutes until Nolito tilted the action the other way.

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Orellana put Celta in front with a great long-range strike after Villarreal’s defence failed to close on him before he could unleash a curling shot around outstretched goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.

Celta went close to a second goal when Nolito hit the upright in the 45th. Iago Aspas then squandered a clever build-up by Nolito and Orellana with Villarreal playing with 10 men after defender Eric Bailly picked up a second booking for clumsily handling the ball two minutes after halftime.

Substitute Denis Suarez levelled for Villarreal against the run of play with a deflected shot in the 67th but, just as the match was heading to a draw, Nolito smashed home the loose ball after Orellana’s last-gasp effort clipped the post.

“We made mistakes that you just can’t make,” said Villarreal manager Marcelino Garcia. “If you want to be at the top there are things you just can’t do and we did several of them today.”

Antoine Griezmann earned the applause of his former fans at Sociedad when he was substituted late in the match despite his audacious goal to give Atletico the lead in the ninth minute.

The France forward quickly dribbled right past three defenders before coolly chipping the ball over goalie Geronimo Rulli for a great goal that he didn’t celebrate out of respect for his previous club.

Sociedad saw Diego Reyes sent off for a second two booking in the last minute before Yannick Carrasco raced forward to score Atletico’s second goal in injury time. Sociedad added to their own misery when Jonathas got a second yellow card for protesting before the final whistle.

Meanwhile, Barcelona coach Luis Enrique remains certain his team can iron out their defensive lapses after another poor display by the back line in Saturday’s 5-2 La Liga win over Rayo Vallecano.

The scoreline flattered the Spanish and European champions, who needed a brilliant performance from Brazil forward Neymar to come back from 1-0 down and see off a spirited Rayo side, who played some attractive attacking football at the Nou Camp.

Rayo’s opening goal came after slack marking by fullback Dani Alves and centre backs Gerard Pique and Jeremy Mathieu looked amateurish at times in their attempts to repel the visitors’ attacks.

Barca have already conceded 11 goals in eight matches this term compared with a mere 21 in 38 games last season as they swept to a fifth Spanish league title in seven years.

“The bad run will pass I am sure, these are players with a lot of quality,” Luis Enrique told a news conference after the victory at the Nou Camp.

“We are not focused enough and the first goal came after a mistake in concentration,” added the former Barca and Spain midfielder.

“We gave the ball away a lot in the second half and Rayo stifled us well. We have to improve.”

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