Tenerife beats Mallorca 1-0 in Spain

Feb 15, 2010 - 10:08 PM MADRID(AP) -- Juan Francisco "Nino" Martinez's first-half goal gave Tenerife a 1-0 win over Mallorca on Monday to snap a run of eight Spanish league games without a victory.

Nino scored his sixth goal of the season in the 14th minute after running clear on goal as Mallorca's defense waited for an offside whistle that never came to beat goalkeeper Dudu Aouate with a sharp shot that flew inside the near post.

The defeat left Mallorca fifth with 37 points, while Tenerife remained in the relegation zone with just 20 points, although it moved into 18th place - one point back of Zaragoza.

After a strong start at the Heliodoro Rodriguez Lopez Stadium, which included Nino nearly scoring from a similar position in the 18th, Tenerife faded but were aided by Mallorca's poor finishing.

Tenerife's Sergio Aragoneses leapt to keep Mario Suarez's rising shot out of the top corner in the 21st.

Tenerife midfielder Julian Omar Ramos had a swerving shot saved by Aouate on the hour mark while Nino had another chance saved following a dribble into the area in the 68th - just after Suarez headed a corner just over the bar.

Barcelona's first defeat of the season on Sunday - a 2-1 loss to Atletico Madrid - allowed Real Madrid to move to within two points of the Spanish leader after a 3-0 win at Xerez on Saturday.

Barcelona leads with 55 points from 22 games, Madrid has 53, Valencia is third with 43 and Sevilla has 39.

In the rest of the weekend's games, it was: Sporting Gijon 1, Valencia 1; Villarreal 2, Athletic Bilbao 1; Espanyol 2, Deportivo La Coruna 0; Valladolid 1, Zaragoza 1; Racing Santander 0, Malaga 3; Getafe 2, Almeria 2; and Sevilla 1, Osasuna 0.