Injury-time goal gives Atletico victory

Spanish football

Atletico Madrid needed an injury-time goal to avoid another poor result in the Spanish league, earning a hard-fought 1-0 win at Deportivo La Coruna from Thomas Partey's free kick yesterday.

Partey found the top corner with a side-footed shot after Gabi Fernandez rolled the ball forward.

The result gave Atletico its second win in nine matches and ended a streak of three consecutive 1-1 draws in the league and Copa del Rey.

The victory at Riazor Stadium moved Atletico to third place, four points behind Valencia and five behind leader Barcelona, which hosted fifthplace Sevilla later on Saturday.

Valencia won its seventh straight league game by beating Leganes 3-0 at home.

Defending champion Real Madrid, eight points behind Barcelona in fourth place, hosts Las Palmas today. WINNING STREAK Valencia's attack keeps impressing, having outscored opponents 28-8 in its run of eight straight wins in all competitions.

Dani Parejo scored the first against Leganes from a free kick, Rodrigo added a header in the second, and Santi Mina converted a late penalty.

Italian striker Simone Zaza, who entered the game at Mestalla Stadium with eight goals in six games, was visibly upset when he was substituted near the end. He refused to greet his teammates or coach Marcelino Garcia and went straight into the locker room. Zaza has nine goals for the season, three fewer than league-leader Lionel Messi.

Leganes, in its second season in the first division, had won three of its last five league games. It is eighth in the standings.