La Liga: Sevilla stuns Villarreal with last-minute comeback, moves to second

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Sevilla scored twice in the final minutes to stun visiting Villarreal 2-1 and move level on points with Barcelona at the top of the Spanish league on Sunday.

Villarreal substitute Luciano Vietto appeared to have grabbed the winner at Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium with a goal in the 79th minute.

But Denis Suarez swept in the equalizer in the 88th, and striker Carlos Bacca converted a penalty kick two minutes into injury time after Giovani Dos Santo fouled Benoit Tremoulinas while trying to recover the ball in the area.

The dramatic win ensured Sevilla took advantage of Real Madrid's 3-1 victory over Barcelona on Saturday, lifting Unai Emery's team into second place behind Barcelona on goal difference.

Madrid fell to third place one point behind, followed by Valencia yet another point back.

Sevilla's record of seven wins, one draw and one loss is the best ever through the first nine rounds for the Andalusian club.

Elsewhere, forward Nordin Amrabat scored one goal and set up two more to lead Malaga to a 4-0 rout of Rayo Vallecano, while Espanyol was held 0-0 at home by Deportivo La Coruna.

Vietto went on in the 66th and Ruben "Cani" Gracia followed five minutes later as coach Marcelino Garcia looked to refresh his attack.

The moved paid off when Cani used one touch to push on a pass for Vietto to chip over goalkeeper Antonio "Beto" Bastos.

But Sevilla pushed forward and Suarez pounced on a cross that Villarreal's defense failed to clear, slotting the ball past goalie Sergio Asenjo while falling to the turf.

But the biggest shock came four minutes later when Tremoulinas came from behind to steal the ball from Dos Santos. The Mexico forward stuck his leg out to try and win it back, and instead tripped the defender inside the box.

Bacca stepped up and fired in the spot kick to send the home crowd into raptures.

Bacca's seven goals equal Lionel Messi's haul as the league's third-leading scorers behind Neymar (9) and Cristiano Ronaldo (16).

Malaga's third straight league win lifted it provisionally to seventh place ahead of Villarreal after only losing twice in nine rounds under new coach Xabi Gracia.

Amrabat passed for Samuel Garcia to curl in Malaga's sixth-minute opener at its La Rosaleda Stadium.

Sergi Darder doubled the lead in the 21st before Amrabat chipped a through ball for Juanmi Lopez to then chip over the goalkeeper in the 45th.

Amrabat got his goal in the 49th from the penalty spot after Antonio Amaya fouled Garcia.

The loss ended Rayo's run of consecutive away wins.

Atletico Madrid visits Getafe late.