Real Zaragoza upset high-flying Sevilla, for whom Spain international Alvaro Negredo had a night to forget.

Zaragoza's heavy investment during the January transfer window continues to pay dividends.

They brought in seven new faces last month in a bid to turn their fortunes around, and that is now looking to be an inspired move with Sunday's victory following on from last weekend's triumph over fellow strugglers Tenerife.

Those two triumphs have helped lift Zaragoza out of the relegation zone, and they are now two points above 18th-placed Real Valladolid.

But while Zaragoza celebrate another important victory, Sevilla will wonder if the match could have gone any worse as they slumped to a fifth league defeat in seven games.

Negredo in particular had a miserable time, scoring the own goal that would end up giving Zaragoza victory before receiving a straight red card in the 82nd minute after kicking out at Zaragoza's other goalscorer, Matteo Contini.

That was one of three dismissals in the final 10 minutes of an incident-packed encounter, with Sevilla defender Marius Stankevicius also earning a straight red for scything down Ander Herrera, while Zaragoza's Adrian Colunga earned a second yellow from fouling Jesus Navas.

Those late sendings-off did nothing to change the outcome of the game though, with the home side holding on to the lead they had held prior to half-time.

Zaragoza had not recorded a victory since November 1 before last weekend, and that prompted them to make that major assault on the transfer market.

And of the seven signings, five started Sunday's game while the other two were on the bench.

It was hardly surprising, therefore, that it was one of the new faces who put Zaragoza ahead in the 34th minute.

Sevilla goalkeeper Andres Palop had done well to turn behind Javier Arizmendi's effort, but from the resulting corner Contini picked the ball up following a goalmouth scramble before drilling home a low left-footed shot.

However, that advantage lasted just three minutes before Sevilla drew level through Frederic Kanoute.

Diego Capel's outswinging cross enticed Zaragoza goalkeeper Juan Carrizo to venture off his line, but he was beaten in the air by Manuel Lolo and although the Sevilla man's header came back off the crossbar, Kanoute was on hand to volley in the rebound.

Carrizo protested that he had been impeded by a Sevilla player as he tried to come and claim the ball, but all he got for his pleas was a yellow card.

That was a blow for Zaragoza to lose their lead so quickly, but they received a huge boost three minutes before the break when Negredo inadvertently put them back in front.

Eliseu's free-kick towards the near post was just too high for Jiri Jarosik, but Negredo behind him got a glancing header on the ball that sent it flying past Palop and into the roof of the net.

That proved to be the winning goal, although it was not the end of the misery for Negredo.

With Sevilla chasing the game late on Negredo challenged Contini near the Zaragoza goalline, but after appearing to get a swinging arm in the face he kicked out at Contini as he fell and was immediately banished from the pitch.

Zaragoza had a great chance to kill the game off two minutes after that but Ander Herrera saw his downward header from almost point-blank range saved by Palop's feet.

The home side need not have worried though as they received another fillip in the 90th minute when Stankevicius also saw red for the visitors, and not even the dismissal of Colunga soon after could deny Jose Aurelio Gay's men.