Mallorca enjoyed its first win in eight matches when it beat Almeria 3-1 in a fifth-round first leg of the Copa del Rey on Thursday. Alhassane Keita, Cleber Santana and Fernando Varela scored for the 2003 winner of Spain's knockout competition, making the island team the favorite to play Real Betis or third-division Real Union in the quarterfinals. In Thursday's other game, Osasuna and Athletic Bilbao scored late in a 1-1 draw. On Wednesday, third-division giantkiller Polideportivo El Ejido beat Espanyol 3-2, while Real Union lost 1-0 against Betis. Defending champion Valencia drew 1-1 at Racing Santander, Sevilla edged Deportivo La Coruna 2-1 and Sporting Gijon beat Valladolid 3-1. On Tuesday, Barcelona won 3-1 at Atletico Madrid courtesy of a hat-trick by Lionel Messi. Second-leg matches are next week. Mallorca ended the unbeaten start of Almeria's recently appointed coach Hugo Sanchez, who was formerly in charge of Mexico. Striker Keita set the home team on the way with a goal from close range in the ninth minute. The visitors leveled two minutes later through Jose Ortiz's free kick which beat Mallorca's Israel goalkeeper Dudu Aouate, making his debut following his recent move from Deportivo. Santana restored Mallorca's lead by turning home midfielder Jose Manuel Jurado's floated cross in the 44th, with Varela sealing the victory with a shot from inside the penalty area in the 57th. Bilbao striker Fernando Llorente seized on a loose ball in injury time to earn the Basque visitors a draw at Osasuna in an encounter played in subzero temperatures. Osasuna had appeared to be heading for victory after substitute Walter Pandiani flicked the ball home with his back to goal in the 82nd minute. Bilbao, which has won the Copa del Rey 23 times but not since 1984, had almost scored in the 69th when Andoni Iraola's downward header from point-blank range bounced over the Osasuna bar. The winner will meet either Gijon or Valladolid in the quarterfinals.
