By PAUL LOGOTHETIS AP Sports Writer

MADRID(AP) -- First-half goals steered Valencia to a 3-1 win over Zaragoza on Sunday, while Sporting Gijon and Athletic Bilbao also picked up victories to maintain their strong early season form in Spain.

Juanma Mata opened the scoring in the 17th minute at Mestalla stadium before David Villa and Pablo Hernandez lined each other up to score on the break as Valencia moved into third in the standings with 21 points.

Meanwhile, Sporting edged Espanyol 1-0 and Bilbao beat Racing Santander 2-0 for both winning teams to move onto 16 points. Sporting is seventh, one place above Bilbao.

Mate Bilic scored Sporting's winner, redirecting a shot by teammate Diego Castro in the third minute.

Bilbao's Carlos Gurpegui headed home from a free kick in the 31st minute and Andoni Iraola converted a 75th minute penalty to put pressure on Santander coach Juan Carlos Mandia with his team lying 17th the standings.

"I hope to be coaching Racing for many more rounds and I won't quit," Mandia said after an eighth straight game without a win.

Almeria beat Osasuna 2-0 following an own-goal by Jose "Josetxo" Romero in the second minute and Kalu Uche's 90th-minute strike. Xerez hung on for a 0-0 draw at Valladolid after David Prieto was red-carded in the 47th.

In Valencia, Zaragoza's defense thought Villa had touched Hernandez's long-ball from an offside position before it ran to Mata, who surged through to beat goalkeeper Javier Vallejo with a low shot inside the near post.

Villa scored his league-leading eighth goal in the 40th minute after Hernandez broke down the right before crossing for the unmarked Spain striker to score at the far post.

Villa returned the favor a minute later after a complete breakdown in the Zaragoza defense allowed three Valencia players to go clear on Vallejo, who was helpless as Villa fed Hernandez.

Vallejo had better luck in the 56th minute when he stopped Hernandez at point-blank range and Zaragoza pulled a goal back nine minutes later when Abel Aguilar scored from Marko Babic's rebound.

But Valencia kept up the pressure in the closing stages and Vallejo managed to tip Albelda's header away and then deal with another effort from Hernandez in the 74th minute.

Both Barcelona and Real Madrid maintained their strong starts to the season with victories on Saturday.

Defending champion Barcelona beat Mallorca 4-2, while Madrid held on for a 3-2 derby win over Atletico Madrid.

Barcelona leads with 26 points and Madrid has 25. Deportivo La Coruna has 19 points following its 2-0 win over Getafe on Saturday.

Sevilla has 19 points and can move back above Valencia with a victory against Villarreal later Sunday.

Also Saturday, Malaga rallied for a 2-2 draw at Tenerife.

Updated on Sunday, Nov 8, 2009 3:40 pm, EST

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