Copa del Rey
Fourth round, second leg
Real Madrid's fall from grace was completed after they were knocked out of the Spanish Cup by second division B side Alcorcón. In an attempt to overturn the 4-0 result from the first leg, Manuel Pellegrini put out a strong line up against his smaller neighbours. But visiting keeper Juanma was on excellent form, and he was not beaten until ten minutes from the end, when substitute Van der Vaart scored what was to prove the only goal of the game with a shot from outside of the area. The angry crowd chanted for Pellegrini to resign at the end of the game.
How Madrid would have liked to have had Barcelona's result, a 5-0 win over Cultural Leonesa. All the goals came in a half hour period at the start of the second half, with Borja turning in Jeffren's cross and then rounding keeper Calzado to score a second minutes later. Pedro got the third after Iniesta set him up, and substitutes Messi and Xavi rounded things off, the first after a good run and the second with a rare header from Pedro's cross.
Sevilla also recorded a "manita", beating Atlético Ciudad 5-1 to rack up a 9-3 aggregate score. The minnows from Lorquí gave the home fans a brief scare when Santamaría put them ahead in the second minute after the restart. But Jesús Navas celebrated his call up for Spain, lobbing the keeper to equalise a couple of minutes later, and Kanouté converted a penalty after a foul on Negredo soon afterwards. Luis Fabiano made it three with a well struck free kick, and youngster José Carlos added two more later on.
Atlético Madrid actually went one better, beating Marbella 6-0 to cruise through to the last sixteen. Jurado headed the opener early on and then set up Sinama-Pongolle with a shot which came back off the woodwork to the striker on the quarter hour mark. After that though it was the "Maxi" show, the Argentinian international scoring two in the next ten minutes, and two more early in the second half to take his personal tally to four.
There were some other surprises on Tuesday though, nowhere more so than Tenerife, where the Canary Islanders were knocked out by struggling second division side Celta. The Galicians had won the first leg 2-1, and they repeated the victory in the Heliodoro Rodríguez, this time by 0-1. When visiting defender Vasco Fernandes was sent off for a second bookable offence with a quarter of an hour to go, the locals pushed forward for the goal they needed to go through on the away goal rule. But they were caught out when Dani Abalo put Danilo through to beat Luis García near the end.
Sporting Gijón are also out after drawing 1-1 with Recreativo Huelva, the Andalusians qualifying 2-4 on penalties after the scores remained level following extra time. Barral put the Asturians ahead from Pedro's centre in only the second minute, but Barrales headed the equaliser from Pablo Sánchez's cross a half an hour later. And although Javi Fuego missed his penalty in the shoot out, Miguel and Carmelo both failed to beat Bernardo to hand the victory to the visitors.
Other first division sides struggled as well, Villarreal only managing to beat Puertollano 1-0 thanks to a late strike from Rossi after Cani and Rossi combined to set him up. The second division B side had by far the better of the match, Oliva having to make several key saves and Acoran hitting the post in the last minute, even though by then they were playing with ten men after Casabella was sent off.
Valencia also got through by the skin of their teeth after drawing 2-2 with Alcoyano, the 0-1 result in the first leg just enough to see them qualify. Unai Emery's side got off to a good start, Marchena heading in Joaquín's corner in the third minute and Zigic turning in Miku's cross a quarter of an hour later. The second division B team had not lost away from home all season though, and they got one back with a long shot from Víctor Curto five minutes before the interval. Two minutes later Valencia's Alexis was sent off for a second bookable offence, and after Carpio equalised with six minutes to go there were some nervous moments for the local fans.
Deportivo made it through thanks to their first leg result as well after they were held to a 0-0 draw in the Riazor stadium by Murcia. The visitors had the better of the early play, with Natalio bringing a good save out of Manu and then hitting the post. Sergio should have won it for the Galicians though when they were awarded a penalty after Adrian was fouled by Escudero with twenty minutes to go, but after Iñaki Bea was sent off for insulting the referee, Sergio drove his spot kick wide.
Two all-first division ties on Tuesday, with Osasuna building on their first leg victory over Xerez with a 1-0 win on the night. The Andalusians put up a good fight, with half time substitute Antoñito hitting the bar and Bermejo wasting a good chance to score his side's first away goal of the season. But with ten minutes to go Masoud passed in for Dady to score his second of the tie, and it was all over.
Málaga had not won any of their last ten games, but they are through to the next round of the cup on the away goals rule after drawing 0-0 with Zaragoza. Carrizo had to keep out Baha and Forestieri early on, but otherwise the visitors had the better chances, Lafita having a penalty appeal turned down, and Santamaría having to be on his toes to save from Goñi, Gabi, Jorge López and Babic after the restart. Curiously Zaragoza's defeat means that all three of the newly promoted sides have been knocked out in the first round. (10.11.09)
Another surprise on Wednesday, last season's runners up Athletic Bilbao knocked out by second division Rayo Vallecano after a 2-2 draw in the San Mamés stadium. Caparrós put out a full strength side, and Llorente headed them in to the lead from Susaeta's cross shortly before half time. But they were unable to get a second goal to cancel out the first leg score, and with twenty minutes to go Collantes silenced the crowd on a quick breakaway. Javi Martínez headed Athletic back in front, but they still needed two more, and when Edu Albacar beat Armando with a well struck free kick it was all over. Sportingly, the local supporters applauded off their opponents after the final whistle.
Racing Santander didn't slip up though, a 4-1 result against Salamanca in the second leg overturning the second division side's one goal lead from two weeks' ago. Caretaker coach Juanjo González saw his side go behind when Perico shot wide of Coltorti in the twentieth minute. But two goals from Tchité late in the first half turned the scoreline around, the first from a Munitis assist and the second from the penalty spot after Laionel fouled Oscar Serrano. That levelled the tie, and the Cantabrians won it after the break with a Murillo own goal and a strike from Xisco, assisted by Morris who was sent off a couple of minutes later.
Two other all-first division ties on Wednesday, with Getafe going through to the last sixteen after holding Espanyol to a 1-1 draw in Cornellà. Pochettino included a redeemed Tamudo in his starting line-up, but even he was unable to help overturn a two goal lead. And local keeper Cristian Alvarez was the busiest man on the park before Soldado picked up Codina's long clearance to open the scoring with twenty minutes gone. Nakamura set up Iván Alonso to beat the visiting keeper a few minutes later, but the hosts were unable to do more, and the game ended with referee Paradas Romero showing 14 yellow cards as tempers flared in the final minutes.
Mallorca also qualified for the next round on the away goals rule after a 1-0 victory over Valladolid. The Balearic Islanders have won all their home games this season, and a strike by Keita ten minutes before the interval was enough to see them through. It could have been a bigger win though after Julio Alvarez missed a second half penalty after Keita was brought down in the area, and visiting keeper Fabricio made a string of saves after that to keep his team in the match to the final whistle. (11.11.09)
The last match of the fourth round saw Hércules beat Almería 0-1 to join fellow second division A sides Recreativo, Rayo Vallecano and Celta and second division B side Alcorcón in the last sixteen. The only goal of the game came a quarter of an hour from the end when Tiago gomes got on the end of Cristian's cross to beat Esteban, and the locals ended with ten men after Pellerano picked up a second booking in the closing minutes. The draw for the fifth round will take place in December, although no date has been set as yet. (12.11.09)
