SEVILLE: Real Betis playmaker Isco netted a goal in each half as his side breezed to a 5-2 home win over Osasuna on Sunday that lifts them to third place in LaLiga, five points behind leaders Barcelona and one ahead of Real Madrid.
Isco fired home from the penalty spot in the 10th minute to open the scoring, and Abde Ezzalzouli added a second before the break after Betis won the ball high up the pitch and countered quickly.
Betis looked to be set for a comfortable afternoon when Diego Llorente added a third three minutes after halftime, but two quick goals for the visitors from Ante Budimir and Raul Garcia reduced the deficit to 3-2 in the 56th minute.
However, Isco eased their nerves again when he snapped up a loose ball in the box and rifled it home, and Jose Antonio Morante came off the bench in the 90th minute to make his LaLiga debut before scoring deep into stoppage time to leave Betis on 19 points after eight games.
Earlier on Sunday, Real Sociedad held off a spirited comeback from Deportivo La Coruna to emerge with a 3-2 win at home, while struggling Elche grabbed a much-needed point by holding visitors Celta Vigo to a scoreless draw.
In the evening's late kick-off, second-from-bottom Valencia came back from a goal down to grab a point in a 2-2 draw away to Racing Santander.
Dani Raba got the visitors off to a great start when he latched on to a long ball and kept his cool to cut inside two defenders and fire home in the second minute to give his side a 1-0 lead, but Yassir Zabiri levelled in the 32nd minute with a finish low into the bottom corner.
Ivan Martin gave the home side the lead two minutes into the second half but 18-year-old substitute David Otorbi grabbed a point for Valencia with a well-taken finish in the 65th minute.
Valencia are 19th on five points after eight games, one ahead of bottom side Malaga and behind Levante on goal difference. Elche are one point above the drop zone and ahead of Valencia, while 16th-placed Osasuna were among a cluster of eight teams locked on eight points.