BARCELONA, Spain (AP) 鈥� Two goals set up by Iker Muniain kept Athletic Bilbao undefeated after beating Mallorca 2-0 and made the Basque Country club the early leader of the Spanish league on Saturday.
Bilbao鈥檚 reign at the top will likely be short-lived with five teams one point behind before they play later in the round.
But the club that fields players from only the northern Basque Country region or neighboring territories will nevertheless enjoy its enviable start to the season with two wins and two draws, including holding Barcelona to 1-1.
Muniain helped Daniel Vivian take the opener in the 67th minute when he met his run into the area with a free kick for the defender to head home.
The midfielder then helped to put the result beyond doubt in the 74th after he intercepted a pass near Mallorca鈥檚 area and crossed for I帽aki Williams to tap in.
鈥淲e went for the win from the very start,鈥� Vivian said. 鈥淲e work hard to justify that and are very happy with how we are playing.鈥�
LATE LETDOWN
Levante squandered another lead in drawing 1-1 with Rayo Vallecano, which got a stoppage-time goal from a new player to snatch the point on the road.
Second-half substitute Sergi Guardiola had an ideal debut for a striker by scoring in the final seconds.
The former Valladolid player steered in a powerful cross from Beb茅 after Rayo pushed Levante into its area for long stretches of the second half.
Roger Mart铆 put the hosts in front in the 39th from the penalty spot after Path茅 Ciss used his arm to stop a shot in the box.
Levante had already conceded a stoppage-time goal to concede a 1-1 draw with C谩diz in the opening round. It also led Real Madrid twice before finishing 3-3 in round two.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a shame that games are slipping away from us,鈥� Mart铆 said. 鈥淭hey played better in the second half, put a lot of crosses into the box, and did what they needed to deserve the draw.鈥�
Radamel Falcao was not in Rayo鈥檚 squad after the veteran striker signed for the team at the close of the transfer market.
MOVED MATCHES
Three other games originally scheduled for Saturday were postponed to give rest to players returning from international duty with 小蓝视频 American nations.
Barcelona鈥檚 game at Sevilla and Villarreal鈥檚 home match against Alav茅s were both postponed with a new date yet to be determined. Real Madrid鈥檚 home match against Celta Vigo was moved to Sunday.
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The Associated Press
