News Archive

Match round-up - First Division, Day 6

The top sides all played on Saturday this weekend, but Deportivo are up to sixth spot after they beat Espanyol 3-0 on Sunday evening, the result taking them two points above their opponents in the table. The Galicians took the lead with a quarter of an hour on the clock when Alvaro González headed a Fajr free kick back into his own net, and a few minutes later Lucas Pérez combined with Luis Alberto to make it two. Diop responded with a shot against the upright before the break, but just two minutes after the restart Pérez got his second of the match after connecting with a Celso Borges cross. Riera came close to a fourth when he hit the crossbar later in the second half, and Espanyol’s miserable evening was compounded when Diop was sent off after picking up a second booking for a crunching tackle on Fede Cartbia.

The big game of the day was the Basque derby between Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao, although the two teams cancelled each other out in a dour 0-0 draw. Chances were few and far between, the best for the locals a shot off target from Raúl García before the break, and an effort form Aduríz which Rulli kept out after the restart. Canales, Vela and Reyes tested Iraizoz a couple of times at the other end, and Athletic felt they should have had two first half penalties for hand ball, the second a fairly blatant block by Illarramendi (who had already been booked earlier) from Aduríz. A fourth draw in a row however between the two rivals, the point taking the hosts out of the bottom three, with Málaga, Levante and Granada occupying the drop zone at the end of the weekend.

Like Málaga, Levante have yet to win this season, and they were beaten 3-0 by relegation rivals Getafe, who move three points above them in the table. It was a close thing however before Alvaro Vázquez came on to score two in the last ten minutes, the first with a powerful header from a Damián Suárez cross. The ex Swansea striker then set up youngster Emi Buendía for a second with a clever back-heel pass, and rounded things off a minute later after connecting with Sarabia’s cross. Before all that both teams had their chances, although the closest the visitors came to scoring was when Guaita had to save a back-header from his own player, Alexis.

Earlier in the day Betis climbed up to the top half of the table after coming from behind to beat Sporting Gijón 1-2 in this Sunday’s noon kick-off. The Asturians got the better start, Adán having to push a shot from Jony onto the crossbar before Carlos Castro picked up a Halilovic assist to open the scoring. However just a minute after the interval Joaquín made it all square with a header past Alberto after Rubén Castro headed across a Cejudo centre, and some twelve minutes later Rubén scored a spectacular second, running on to fire a first time shot in off the crossbar after Isma López could only head back a long Adán clearance. The visiting keeper had to save from Carlos Castro and Halilovic after that, and Guerrero fired a shot over the bar when free on goal, but the locals couldn’t prevent another defeat which leaves them just two points above the drop zone. (27.09.15)

Villarreal are the new leaders of the first division after a 1-0 victory over fourth placed Atlético Madrid on Saturday evening. On loan Atlético striker Leo Baptistao combined with Soldado to score the only goal of the game on the quarter hour mark, and Marcelino’s side had the better chances after that, with Soldado bringing a good save out of Oblak, and Samu Castillejo heading just wide. Jackson Martínez and Saúl Ñíguez tested Areola at the other end and Griezmann just failed to intercept a poor Bruno back pass. But other than an effort from Correa which Areola kept out, there were few chances after the interval, and Villarreal held on for a fifth win in a row which takes them to the head of the pack for the first time in their history.

Real Madrid meanwhile drop to third after they were held to a 0-0 draw by a Málaga side who have yet to score a single goal this season. It was a frustrating night for Rafa Benítez’s team who had over thirty shots on target, Kameni in particular pulling off a string of saves to ensure a third goal-less draw for the Andalusians. The visiting keeper saved twice from Jesé early on, then made several stops from Cristiano Ronaldo, as well as from Benzema after the break. When he was finally beaten Welligton cleared an effort from Isco off the line, and with the game coming to a close Isco got the ball in the net only for Modric to be incorrectly given offside in the build-up. Keylor Navas did have to be on his toes to save a Recio free kick, but after Amrabat was sent off for catching Marcelo with a flying elbow, the visitors decided to settle for an unexpected point which keeps them above Granada and Levante in the table.

Celta also picked up a point in a 1-1 draw at Eibar in the last match of the evening, and they remain level with Real Madrid in fourth place. Borja Bastón gave the Basque side the lead in only the third minute, the striker forcing the ball over the line with his thigh after Sergi Enrich headed on a corner. Riesgo had to save from Orellana and Pablo Hernández headed just wide, but Inui Takashi could have put the locals further ahead had he been able to convert a couple of chances either side of half time. The Galicians came back though to save a point, Bongonda going close before Iago Aspas got on the end of a Hugo Mallo cross to volley the ball into the net with a quarter of an hour to go.

Barcelona took advantage of the slips by Real Madrid and Celta to move back up to second after they beat Las Palmas 2-1 earlier in the afternoon. There was an early blow for Luis Enrique though, Messi limping off in the tenth minute with a serious knee ligament injury after a clash with Bigas which will keep him out for up to two months. However Luis Suárez stepped in to head in a Sergi Roberto cross midway through the first half, and some ten minutes after the restart the Uruguayan striker made it two after Busquets stepped over a centre from substitute Munir. A few minutes later the Catalans were awarded a penalty after a Suárez shot hit Alcaraz on the arm, but Neymar blasted the resulting spot kick over the bar, and with two minutes to go Jonathan Viera set up a nervous last few minutes for the home fans when his shot deflected off Piqué to wrong-foot Ter Stegen and enter the net.

Elsewhere Sevilla moved off the bottom of the table thanks to a 3-2 victory over Rayo Vallecano. The Andalusians appeared to be on track for a much needed victory when they went two up at the break, Gameiro starting things off after connecting with a Trémoulinas cross, and N’Zonzi adding a second on the stroke of half time after Reyes laid back a Trémoulinas centre. However Bebé got one back with an impressive free kick, and Javi Guerra levelled it with an angled shot midway through the second half. There were some whistles from the crowd after that, but with five minutes to go Amaya got himself sent off after picking up a second yellow card for bringing down Gameiro on the edge of the area, and from the resulting free kick Konoplyanka fired a shot past Toño to take some of the pressure off Unai Emery. (26.09.15)

The intense league programme continues, Valencia kicking off the week six fixtures with a 1-0 victory over Granada on Friday evening which takes them up to sixth place overnight. Mustafi headed the only goal of the match from Bakkali’s cross midway through the first half, but once again the Ches were disappointing, and they only troubled Andrés after that with a couple of efforts from Alcácer and Rodrigo. El-Arabi and Fran Rico hit the bar either side of half time and only a great save from Domenech just before the break stopped Rochina from equalizing with a free kick, but it was a fourth defeat in a row for the Andalusians, and they stay in the bottom three as a result. (25.09.15)