MADRID: Valencia continued their solid start to La Liga and climbed to second when recent Spain recruit Paco Alcacer set them on their way to a 3-0 win at Getafe on Monday.

Forward Alcacer, who scored on his competitive Spain debut in this month’s 5-1 Euro 2016 qualification victory against Macedonia, fired Valencia ahead in the seventh minute at Getafe’s Coliseum stadium in the Madrid suburbs when he rushed forward and caught goalkeeper Vicente Guaita by surprise when he slipped before getting his shot off.

Midfielder Andre Gomes made it 2-0 in the 20th minute. Rodrigo Moreno raced up the field and crossed to Gomes who played a one-two with Alcacer before the former Benfica midfielder blasted his shot past Guaita at close range.

Moreno had an eventful second half when he netted a 72nd-minute penalty after Brazilian defender Naldo tripped Sofiane Feghouli in the penalty area before earning a second yellow card and getting sent off a minute later.

The victory lifted Valencia into second place after four matches, level on 10 points with Sevilla and two behind early leaders Barcelona, the only team with a perfect record.

Four-times World Player of the Year Lionel Messi starred as Barca scored a thumping 5-0 win at Levante on Sunday, while champions Atletico Madrid have eight points in fourth following Saturday’s 2-2 draw at home to Celta Vigo.

Real Madrid are seventh on six points after they hammered hapless Deportivo La Coruna 8-2 on Saturday to help the stuttering European champions put consecutive La Liga defeats behind them.

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2014