Madrid, April 23:

Robert Pires’ and Marcos Garcia’s goals on Sunday gave Villarreal a 2-0 win over FC Barcelona and cut the defending champion’s lead in the Spanish league to one point.

Barcelona’s defeat left it with just one win from its past nine away games and dented its hopes of a third straight title.

Pires, facing Barcelona for the first time since last year’s European Champions League final when he played for Arsenal, beat the offside trap and scored uncontested underneath goalkeeper Victor Valdes in the 56th minute. Marcos added the second from the edge of the penalty area in the 85th. Villarreal’s victory ended a four-game winless streak. Sevilla reclaimed second place with a 4-1 win over Athletic Bilbao. Alexander Kerzhakov, Antonio Puerta, Javier Chevanton and Luis Fabiano all scored in the second half for the UEFA Cup semi-finalists.

Sevilla’s first victory in four games moved the team a point above Real Madrid and maintained its hopes of winning the title for the first time since 1946.

Also, Ewerthon scored two late goals to help Zaragoza beat Celta Vigo 2-0 and climb into fourth place. The results left Barcelona atop with 59 points from 31 games. Sevilla has 58, Real Madrid 57 and Zaragoza 53 with seven matches remaining.

Also Sunday, it was: Recreativo Huelva 4, Racing Santander 2; Espanyol 2, Real Betis 2; Deportivo La Coruna 1, Osasuna 0; Levante 1, Getafe 1; and Mallorca 1, Gimnastic Tarragona 0.

Premiership

LONDON: Portsmouth edged closer to a UEFA Cup berth with a 0-0 draw at Aston Villa on Sunday. The result ensured Portsmouth goalkeeper David James kept his 142nd shut out — beating David Seaman’s previous Premier League mark. Seaman retired in 2004 after playing for Arsenal and Manchester City in the Premier League. James was kept busy against his former club, producing an impressive save in the sixth minute to stop a strike from Craig Gardner and blocking a fierce shot from Gabriel Agbonlahor in the 64th. With four rounds remaining, Chelsea has 79 points — three behind United.