MADRID -- Coach Jorge Sampaoli felt Sevilla needed a big win against a top opponent to establish itself as a true contender in Spain.He got just that on Sunday as his team defeated previously unbeaten Atletico Madrid 1-0 to stay near the top of the Spanish league.French midfielder Steven NZonzi netted the winner in the 73rd minute at a packed Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium to give the hosts their third straight win.It was an important game to consolidate ourselves against a team that looked unbeatable, Sampaoli said. We did well against one of the best teams in the world. This victory makes me proud.Sevilla, which has won six straight at home, reached 20 points from nine rounds, one point behind Real Madrid, which is top after a 2-1 home win against Athletic Bilbao.Barcelona, which defeated Valencia 3-2 Saturday thanks to an injury-time penalty kick converted by Lionel Messi, is third with 19 points.Its going to be tight like this the entire season, Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said.There had been some early doubts about Sampaoli as Sevilla lost in the Spanish Super Cup to Barcelona and the UEFA Super Cup to Real Madrid. But after the up-and-down start, the Argentine coach has finally been able to put Sevilla on track. As well as contending in Spain, the Andalusian club is also in a good position to advance to the knockout stages of the Champions League.Atletico, which had the lead coming into the weekend, dropped to fifth place, three points behind Madrid.Diego Simeones team played with 10 men from the 77th on Sunday because of a second yellow card shown to midfielder Jorge Koke Resurreccion.Sampaoli made key adjustments at halftime, allowing his team to take control of the game and earn the hard-fought victory under pouring rain in Seville.NZonzi scored the winner on a fast breakaway, speeding past two defenders after receiving a great throughball from striker Luciano Vietto. The Frenchman entered the area and calmly sent a low shot into the far corner as Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak charged from the net.---REAL MADRID 2, ATHLETIC 1Real Madrid needed an 83rd-minute winner by substitute Alvaro Morata to earn a hard-fought win against Athletic Bilbao.Karim Benzema put Madrid ahead just seven minutes into the game at the Santiago Bernabeu, but Sabin Merino equalized in the 27th and held on for most of the match.Morata, celebrating his 24th birthday, scored from close range less than 10 minutes after replacing Benzema. Athletic goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz made the initial save but Morata persisted and found the open net off the rebound.I feel like a 10-year-old, Morata said. We won and we are in the lead, it couldnt have been better.It was Madrids second straight win after three consecutive draws in the league.Madrid and Villarreal are the only unbeaten clubs in the league after nine rounds.Athletic is sixth on 15 points, six behind Madrid.---VILLARREAL 2, LAS PALMAS 1French striker Cedric Bakambu scored the winner in second-half injury time for Villarreal, but it was Las Palmas Kevin-Prince Boateng who attracted all the attention with a remarkable goal before halftime.Boatengs side volley from inside the area came after a mid-air, back-heel pass by Pedro Tana, who flicked the ball across the area for Boateng to shoot firmly into the corner.Still unbeaten in the league this season, Villarreal has won three of its last four games and is in fourth place with 19 points.---CELTA 4, DEPORTIVO 1Celta Vigo rebounded from two consecutive losses with a comfortable home win over Deportivo La Coruna behind a pair of goals by striker Iago Aspas.After a 4-3 loss to Barcelona and a 5-0 defeat against Villarreal, Celta cruised to victory against struggling Deportivo to move to eighth place with 13 points.The teams were tied 1-1 when Aspas converted a 60th-minute penalty kick. Chilean midfielder Fabian Orellana added to the lead in the 78th and Aspas closed the scoring in the 83rd at the Balaidos Stadium.Deportivo, which has lost four of its last five games, dropped to 17th in the 20-team standings.---Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/tales-azzoni Authentic Giants Hoodies . -- Anaheim Ducks captain and leading scorer Ryan Getzlaf has been scratched from Sunday nights game against the Vancouver Canucks because of an upper-body injury. Lawrence Taylor Hoodie . And when it opened, every player was at his stall. Thats a sure sign that a team is in a slump and is searching for answers. "Its embarrassing to be at home and play the way we did," said defenceman Josh Gorges. http://www.cheapgiantshoodiesjerseys.com/ . Calgary scored on the first shift, and Michael Cammalleri scored twice as the Flames cruised to a 5-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday. Cheap Giants Hoodies . -- Bobby Ryan helped the U. Cheap Giants Hoodies Store . But Bourque, who has missed three games with a lower-body injury, wont be in the lineup when the Habs travel to Buffalo to take on the Sabres on Wednesday.The New York Jets have released cornerback Antonio Cromartie in a cost-cutting move that will save the team $8m (£5.7m) in salary cap space. The decision on Monday marks the second time in three years that the Jets have cut Cromartie, who was re-signed last off-season after a year in Arizona.Cromartie was in the second year of a four-year, $32m (£22.7m) contract he signed last off-season but his 2016 salary was not guaranteed, allowing the Jets to knock $8m off their salary cap. I would like to [thank] the Jets organization for bringing me back this past season, Cromartie wrote on Instagram.I had a lot of fun and I know my first [half] of the season didnt go well and I thank you guys for pushing and believing in me to keep me on the field so I could finish strong. Today is a sad day for me not because of my release but the guys I became really close [to] in our DB room. Darrelle Revis #24 with former team-mate Antonio Cromartie #31 Cromartie was a headline signing in the Jets spending spree last off-season as he returned to New York along with fellow cornerback Darrelle Revis.The duo formed a dynamic pairing in their first stint together for the Jets (2010 to 2012) but struggled to recreate that form in 2015 with Cromartie in particularr struggling at times during the season.ddddddddddddAccording to Pro Football Focus, he gave up a team-high seven touchdown passes and had no interceptions for the first time since his rookie season in 2006 with San Diego. Cromartie, who will turn 32 in April, admitted midway through the season he was not playing as he had hoped. Who will be franchise tagged? Von Miller and Kirk Cousins among players who could be tagged The move to release Cromartie frees up the cap space the Jets will need if they are to apply the franchise tag to Pro Bowl defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson as expected.Before releasing Cromartie, the Jets projected to have around $13m (£9.2m) in cap space and franchising Wilkerson is expected to cost around $13.5m (£9.6m).Cromarties departure will allow a younger player to assume a greater role with Marcus Williams, who led the team with six interceptions, or Dee Milliner, a 2013 first-rounder who has been beset by injuries, expected to compete for snaps alongside Revis and Buster Skrine. 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