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Match round-up - First Division, Day 4

Valencia are up to second in the table after a comfortable 0-3 victory at Getafe in the Monday night game. The Ches went two up in twenty minutes, Paco Alcácer running on to Rodrigo’s return pass before surprising Guaita with an angled shot in off the far post, and André Gomes getting the second after good work by Rodrigo and Alcácer. Rodrigo got the third from the penalty spot after Feghouli was tripped in the area with twenty minutes to go, and although the ex Benfica forward got himself sent off for a second bookable offence a minute later, the visitors held on for a third win in a row which takes them above Sevilla on goal difference. (22.09.14)

Leaders Barcelona made it four wins out of four and four clean sheets in a row in to the bargain (five counting the midweek Champions League game) after thrashing Levante 0-5 in the last match on Sunday evening. The locals had not scored a single goal all season, but they started well, with Morales and Barral in particular going close. Neymar brought a good save out of Jesús though, and with ten minutes to go to half time he rounded the keeper to score the opener after Messi put him through. Soon afterwards Vyntra got himself sent off for bringing down Messi in the area, and although the Argentinian forward fired his spot kick wide, Rakitic drilled home a second before the break. Neymar was taken off as a precaution early on in the second half after suffering a hard tackle, and his substitute Sandro got in on the act after Busquets and Messi combined to set him up. Sandro also had a hand in the next goal, a quick passing move allowing Jordi Alba to cross in for Pedro to score the fourth, and with a quarter of an hour to go Messi finally got his name on the scoresheet after picking up poor throw by Jesús, leaving a couple of defenders for dead before chipping the ball in to the net. The result leaves Levante firmly anchored to the bottom of the table, although it must be said that they have had a difficult set of fixtures to start off the season.

Sevilla are up to second after they beat regional neighbours Córdoba earlier in the evening. It was their first meeting in the top flight since 1972, but the visitors were firm favourites, and Juan Carlos had to save from Vitolo and Bacca before Bacca connected with an Aleix Vidal cross to give them the lead in the eighth minute. Borja García head wide and Abel Gómez tested Sergio Rico with a free kick either side of half time, but otherwise Emery’s side were on top, and substitute M’Bia got in front of a hesitant defence to head in a Denis Suárez midway through the second half. Borja did give his side hope after turning in Fede’s cross with eight minutes to go, but Bacca converted a late penalty after a high kick by Pantic on Vitolo to wrap things up.

Villarreal are in to the European spots after they came from behind to beat Rayo Vallecano 4-2. Kakuta and Alberto Bueno put the visitors two up in the first half hour, the first a header after Tito crossed in from the right wing, and the second on the follow up after Sergio Asenjo saved from Leo Baptistao following a centre by Licá. However Espinosa got one back after Cristian Alvarez could only push out a shot by Cheryshev soon afterwards, and Uche hit the post after getting past the keeper five minutes later. Both keepers were in action after the restart, Asenjo blocking a Zé Castro volley and Alvarez keeping out Uche a couple of times. With an hour on the clock though Musacchio levelled the scores with a header from Trigueros corner., and substitute Vietto tied up the three points with two similar strikes in the last quarter of an hour, both times after Jonathan Dos Santos put Cheryshev away for him to cross in from the left wing.

Real Sociedad drop into the bottom half of the table though after they lost 1-2 to Almería in the Sunday mid-day game. The Basque side had the better of play early on, with Vela hitting the crossbar and Agirretxe and De la Bella having shots saved by Rubén. However with half an hour gone Zubikarai tried to punch clear a Dubarbier cross, and only succeeded in deflecting the ball on to the face of his team-mate de la Bella and in to his own net. Vela tried his luck a couple of times before the break, but Hemed turned a shot on to the bar early on in the second half, and minutes later Mauro Dos Santos headed in a second for the visitors from Verza’s corner. Bergara headed against bar again, but Zubikarai had to save from Edgar and Hemed at the other end. The visitors were left with ten men for the last ten minutes when Dubarbier picked up a second booking, but although Chory Castro took advantage to get one back, the strike came too late to change the result, even though Pardo did hit the upright with a low free kick near the end. (21.09.14)

Real Madrid sent a message their rivals that it is way too early to write them off after an amazing 2-8 victory against Deportivo on Saturday afternoon. Cristiano Ronaldo had never scored in the Riazor stadium, but by half time he had netted twice, the first after hanging in the air to loop a long header past Lux, and the second in to an empty net after the keeper came out of his area and only succeeded in fouling Benzema. James fired home a spectacular goal in between, but Medunjanin got one back from the penalty spot early in the second half after the referee ruled that Ramos had deliberately blocked Cuenca’s header with his arm. Ancelotti took Benzema off though and moved Bale up front to join Ronaldo, and the Welsh winger scored twice in eight minutes after Marcelo and then Isco put him through. Ronaldo completed his hat-trick after James won the ball off Sidnei with twelve minutes to go, and although Toché headed in a second for the locals from Cuenca’s cross, substitute Chicharito helped himself to brace late on, the first an impressive shot in to the top corner of the net, and the second with a strike which deflected in off Sidnei. It was the first time in their history that Madrid had scored eight away from home in the league, and with five as well in the midweek Champions League match, they have now clocked up no less than thirteen in four days.

Ancelotti’s side are now just two points behind city rivals Atlético, who dropped points in the Calderón stadium following a 2-2 draw with Celta. Tiago fired an early shot wide, but Pablo Hernández gave the Galicians the lead with an incredible back-heel shot, the Argentian midfielder sticking his leg back to deflect (accidentally or not?) a long Planas punt past Moyà. Sergio Alvarez had to be on his toes though to keep out Griezmann and Ansaldi, and with just over half an hour gone Miranda got on the end of a long Koke free kick to equalize. Atleti were back in it, and when Godín rose above the visiting defence to head in a Gabi corner it seemed that they were on their way to victory. However Celta came out fighting after the interval, Hugo Mallo bringing a good save out of Moyà before half time substitute Nolito levelled it from the penalty spot after Miranda tripped Planas inside the area. From then on the locals did most of the attacking, but Raúl Jiménez and Raúl García had strikes ruled out for offside, and alvarez pulled off first class saves from Jiménez, Koke and Tiago. In the end a point apiece, and both teams maintain their unbeaten records.

Atletico stay a point behind leaders Barcelona pending their match at Levante on Sunday, and Granada are now level on points with Simeone’s side after a 0-1 win at Athletic Bilbao. Valverde made several changes after the midweek Champions League game, with youngsters Unai López and Erik Morán in the starting line up. Iraizoz had to keep out Rochina early on though, and although Roberto responded with an impressive save from an Aduríz header, the visitors took the lead when Córdoba won the ball off Iturraspe and ran on to beat the keeper. After the restart Iraizoz had to come out of his area quickly to stop Foulquier on a quick breakaway, and Aduríz went close a couple of times at the other end. But even with Viguera and Guillermo joining the attack, the Basque side were unable to score for the second match in a row at the San Mamés stadium, and visiting coach Joaquín Caparrós came away from his old hunting ground with the spoils.

Later in the evening Espanyol and Málaga drew 2-2, a result which kept the visitors in mid-table, and left the Catalans still in next to bottom spot. Sergio Rodríguez’s team needed a result, and ex Espanyol keeper Kameni had to make saves from Víctor Sánchez and Sergio García before Caicedo picked up a García assist to put them in front early on. Camacho headed the equalizer soon after the interval from a Luis Alberto corner, but Stuani headed against the bar and he and Salva Sevilla brought further saves out of Kameni, and with two minutes to go Stuani headed in a wide Lucas Vázquez free kick to restore the lead. However with the local fans already celebrating what appeared to be a first victory, Duda stepped up in injury time to curl another free kick in to the net to save a point for the Andalusians. (20.09.14)

Eibar are up to fifth in the table pending the rest of the weekend games after beating Elche 0-2 on Friday evening. Dani García took advantage of a poor Mosquera clearance to fire a low shot past Tyton and in off the post in only the third minute, and an unmarked Albentosa headed in a Saúl Berjón corner for the second shortly before the break. The locals felt themselves unlucky to have at least one good penalty shout turned down in each half by referee Jaime Latre, but apart from an inswinging Fajr corner which Irureta did well to keep out from under the posts, and a couple of half chances for Cristian Herrera, they were unable to trouble what was the best defence in the second division last season. (19.09.14)