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Match round-up - First Division, Day 11

Barcelona are back at the top of the table after a 3-0 victory over Villarreal on Sunday afternoon! Luis Enrique’s side had the better of the first half, Areola in particular saving a misguided back-pass from Mario and a fierce shot from Mathieu, although Denis Suárez and Soldado also went close at the other end, and Bravo had to keep out Samu Castillejo just before the break. Dani Alvés tested Areola again after the restart and Luis Suárez headed just over the top, and with an hour on the clock Busquets cut out a Villarreal clearance and played the ball through for Neymar to open the scoring. Soon afterwards Areola saved again from Iniesta, and with a quarter of an hour to go Luis Suárez made it two from the penalty spot after Jaume Costa slid into Munir inside the area. The best was saved for last though, Neymar scoring a spectacular third after lobbing the ball over his marker and firing a first time volley past the visiting keeper, his eleventh of the season in the league keeping him well clear of the likes of Suárez, Ronaldo and Aduríz in the race for the “Pichichi” title. .

That means that Barcelona go into the next “clásico” at the Bernabeu stadium following the international break with a three point lead after Real Madrid were beaten 3-2 at Sevilla later in the evening. Madrid started well, Nacho rattling the upright before Sergio Ramos opened the scoring with an acrobatic scissors kick which unfortunately aggravated an old shoulder injury. Sergio Rico had to save from Bale a couple of times soon afterwards, but with ten minutes to go to the break Immobile levelled the scores with a shot from a tight angle after a corner fell to him on the far post, and with an hour on the clock Banega put the locals in front following a quick passing move with Konoplyanka and Immobile. Ronaldo replied with a couple of timid efforts, and Casemiro brought the save of the night out of Rico with a header from a corner, but with a quarter of an hour to go substitute Llorente got free of his markers to head the third past Kiko Casilla from Mariano’s cross. Konoplyanka and Banega could have added to the lead after that, and with the game in ijnury time James signalled his timely return, cutting back to beat Rico with an angled shot from outside of the area.

This was Madrid’s first defeat of the season in all competitions, and they are now only a point ahead of city rivals Atlético, who beat Sporting Gijón 1-0 thanks to a last minute goal by Griezmann. The visitors put up a brave fight though despite losing Sergio Alvarez and Guerrero to injuries early on, and only a brilliant save by Oblak prevented Halilovic from giving the Asturians the lead before the break. Bernardo was lucky to get away with a penalty appeal though when the ball hit his arm in the area, and after the restart Cuéllar had to be at his best to keep out Griezmann on three occasions. Gabi, Koke and Carrasco also went close, but Oblak was in action again to stop a long shot from Jony, and it looked as if Sporting were going to save a point until Godín headed on a long punt into the area, and Griezmann reacted faster than anyone to head the ball past the visiting keeper. Simeone couldn’t contain himself as he roared up and down along the touchline in delight!

Earlier in the day Athletic Bilbao kept up their recent run of form with a 2-1 victory over Espanyol in this week’s mid-day game. Iñaki Williams put the Basque side in front in the eighth minute with an impressive goal which was equally as good as Neymar’s second, the young forward lifting a De Marcos pass over his marker and volleying a shot on the turn into the far top corner of the net. Hernán Pérez went close at the other end, but Sabín felt he should have had a penalty when he was bundled over in the area, and either side of half time Aduríz and Williams fired shots just wide of the mark. Some six minutes in to the second half Hernán made it all square after running on to a Víctor Sánchez return pass to drill a shot past Iraizoz, but a quarter of an or so later Raúl García kept his balance long enough to connect with Susaeta’s long centre and steer a looping header wide of Pau López. That took Athletic’s unbeaten run to six games, and they are now only two points off the European spots.

P.S. Later in the evening it was confirmed that Real Sociedad had sacked David Moyes, ex Celta coach Eusebio favourite to replace him. (08.11.15)

Valencia bounced back from their midweek Champions League defeat, Nuno’s side thrashing third placed Celta 1-5 to take some of the pressure off their coach. Paco Alcácer opened the scoring with just under a quarter of an hour gone after picking up a return pass from Dani Parejo, but Augusto Fernández headed the equalizer after Pablo Hernández and Daniel Wass headed on a corner, and a couple of minutes later the Galicians got the ball in the net again only for the referee to rule it out for a previous foul by a Valencia player. A minute either side of half time however the visitors scored two more, Parejo beating Sergio Alvarez with a well struck free kick, and Alcácer running on to a bad back pass by Jonny to make it three. Aspas hit the post and Domenech had to save from Nolito after the restart, but Parejo netted a fourth after Alcácer set him up, and with ten minutes to go Mustafi headed the fifth from another Parejo cross.

Valencia stay seventh though after sixth placed Eibar beat Getafe 3-1 later in the evening. Irureta had to save from Alvaro Vázquez early on, but a few minutes later Sergi Enrich put the Basque side in front after a Saúl Berjón corner fell to him inside the area. And although Víctor Rodríguez levelled it soon afterwards with an individualist effort, Enrich restored the lead after a good run by Berjón down the by-line. After the restart Enrich came close to his hat-trick before he was brought down in the area by Damián Suárez, the referee sending off the full back and awarding a penalty which Berjón converted. And after that the Basque side could have added to the lead, Escalante rattling the crossbar with a long shot, and Eddy bringing a good save out of Guaita near the end.

Deportivo remain in eighth place after they drew 1-1 at Levante, the point not enough to take the locals off the foot of the table. Both teams had chances early on, Lux having to save from Morales, and Sidnei heading a corner against the bar. However midway through the first half Lucas Pérez put the visitors ahead, the striker setting off from his own half to pick up a long Jonás through ball and run on to shoot wide of Rubén. Rubi’s new side came back though, Rubén García and Roger going close before the break, and Camarasa finding a gap in the defensive wall from a free kick to square the match early on in the second half. Lux had to keep out Morales and Rubén García after that, and Lucas Pérez forced a shot past the keeper only to see the ball cleared off the line by a defender, but in the end both coaches settled for a point.

Betis are up to ninth after they beat neighbours Málaga 0-1 in the last match of the evening, the result leaving Javi Gracia’s side a place above the drop zone, just above Las Palmas on goal difference. The Andalusians had only scored in two of their previous ten games, and once again they lacked fire power, with Duda and Tighadouni shooting wide, and Charles and Juan Carlos coming up against Adán a couple of times. The locals felt they should have had a couple of penalties as well, the first when the ball hit Westermann on the arm, and the second when Xavi Torres brought down Recio in the area soon after the restart. Kameni had to keep out Rubén Castro before the break however, and some twenty minutes into the second half Málaga gave the ball away in midfield, and Castro picked up the rebound and ran on to score what was to prove the only goal of the game.

Meanwhile Rayo Vallecano moved safely up to mid-table after a 2-1 victory over Granada. Visiting coach Sandoval was given an ovation before kick-off at his old hunting ground, but his new team quickly went two down, Javi Guerra poking in a wayward Pablo Hernández shot and then turning in Bebé’s cross with only ten minutes gone. However some ten minutes later Rayo were left with ten men when Zé Castro picked up a second booking, and Toño had to save from Piti before Babín headed one back from Piti’s corner early on in the second half. Sandoval threw on all his fire power after that, but the Andalusians were unable to find the route to goal, and they end the day in next to bottom spot after eight games without a win. (07.11.15)

Las Palmas beat Real Sociedad 2-0 in this week’s Friday night game to draw level with their opponents in the table. It was a first win for coach Quique Setién, who took over from Paco Herrera a couple of weeks ago, and his new side move to within the brink of escaping the drop zone. Jonathan Viera opened the scoring for the Canary Islanders on the half hour mark, the flanker beating Rulli with a volley which the keeper could only deflect in off the post after Vicente headed on a long David Simón centre. Roque tested Rulli again before the break, and six minutes in to the second half Araujo made it two with an angled shot after picking up a long pass from Tana. Javi Varas had to save from Illarramendi and Agirretxe, and with the game coming to a close the local keeper had to be at his best to tip a long shot from Canales onto the crossbar. Another defeat for David Moyes’ side however, leaving them in exactly the same position they were in a year back, and the coach could be the next to go if things don’t change very quickly. (06.11.15)