Madrid, Feb 9 : Second-half goals from left back Alvaro Carreras and Kylian Mbappe gave Real Madrid a 2-0 win away to Valencia on Sunday night, keeping the defending champion one point behind FC Barcelona in the La Liga title race.

Carreras opened the scoring in the 65th minute with an individual effort, riding a pair of weak challenges before finishing. Mbappe sealed the victory in injury time as Madrid, largely subdued before the break, steadily forced Valencia deeper in the second half.

While Madrid stayed on Barcelona's heels, Valencia slipped closer to the relegation zone in a difficult week that also saw the club eliminated from the Copa del Rey.

Antony scored in the 29th minute as Real Betis avenged its recent Copa del Rey quarterfinal loss to Atletico Madrid with a 1-0 league win at the Metropolitano Stadium.

Betis, beaten 5-0 at home by Atletico just three days earlier, tightened defensively and was fortunate when a potential second-half equalizer for the hosts was ruled out for offside.

Gorka Guruzeta scored twice in the first half as Athletic Club returned to winning ways with a 4-2 home victory over Levante in a match that descended into chaos late on.

Guruzeta headed home in the 29th minute and added a low finish five minutes later after Levante was reduced to 10 men when Alan Matturro was sent off for hauling down Inaki Williams.

Athletic missed chances to extend its lead, and Unai Elgezabal's overhead kick pulled a goal back for Levante in the 81st minute. Nico Serrano restored a two-goal cushion five minutes later, but Jon Ander Olasagasti struck in the 94th minute to make it 3-2 before Robert Navarro sealed the win in the ninth minute of added time.

Sevilla salvaged a 1-1 draw at home to Girona thanks to a late goal from Kike Salas and a stoppage-time penalty save by Odysseas Vlachodimos, who denied Cristhian Stuani with the final kick of the match.

Girona had taken the lead in the second minute through Thomas Lemar and was left frustrated after failing to secure all three points against a Sevilla side that struggled to create chances.

Getafe ended a nine-match winless run with a 2-0 victory away to Alaves.

Alaves edged the first half but failed to respond after Luis Vazquez gave Getafe the lead in the 53rd minute, with Mauro Arambarri adding a penalty in the 72nd.

/IANS