Valencia (Spain), Mar 7 (IANS): Capital football club Atletico Madrid beat Valencia 3-1 away in a strong second-half display before 50,000 fans at the Mestalla stadium to keep their La Liga title hopes alive.

The home squad had lost just once in its past 12 match-ups against Atletico, but it was Antoine Griezmann who on Sunday got the visitors on the board first in the 24th minute with a long-distance shot into the corner of the net, reports Efe.

Valencia, however, didn't take long to even things up with Russia's Denis Cheryshev -- on loan from Real Madrid -- knocking one in on a brilliant move after a header assist from Alcacer.

Head coach Diego Simeone substituted Fernando Torres and Carrasco after the break, and it was the former who scored the go-ahead goal for Atletico in the 71st minute from close range after a corner kick.

Valencia suffered a blow when Aderlan Santos was dealt a second yellow card in the 80th minute and the squad was cut to 10 men on the pitch, and then, it was Carrasco's turn to tally five minutes after that.

With the victory, Atletico are now once again eight points behind Barcelona, after the Catalonian leaders' weekend victory over Eibar, and four points in front of Real Madrid.