News Archive

Match round-up - First Division, Day 14

Levante moved off the bottom of the table after a 1-1 draw at Espanyol on Monday evening. Both teams had played out a similar scoreline in the cup tie at Valencia midweek, and once again it was the away side who went in front, Jefferson Lerma winning the ball off a sleepy Enzo Roco in the sixth minute to run on and steer a shot past Pau López. Caicedo headed just wide in reply, and some ten minutes into the second half substitute Gerard Moreno equalized after Caicedo and Víctor Sánchez combined to set him up. After that though López had to save from Rubén García and Xumetra, Deyverson had a strike ruled out for a clear offside, and Víctor Casadesús fired a shot just wide of the post, and Espanyol were grateful when the referee finally called it a day. (07.12.15)

Villarreal are back up to fifth in the table after coming from behind to beat Rayo Vallecano 2-1 on Sunday afternoon. Soldado fired a shot over the bar, and Jonathan Dos Santos tested new keeper Yoel in the opening minutes, but with half time approaching Jozabed latched on to a long throw-in to volley the visitors into the lead. After the restart Rayo could have gone further ahead, Víctor Ruíz having to clear off the line from Embarba, and Areola saving a header from Llorente, However with twenty minutes to go Bakambu ran on to Soldado’s pass to equalize, and with full time approaching the Congolese striker got on the end of a cross from Denis Suárez to score the winner.

Athletic Bilbao missed out on a chance though to move up into the top six after they were held to a 0-0 draw by Málaga in the last match of the evening. The Basque team had to play over three quarters of the game with ten men after San José was sent off for a retaliatory push on Charles, but even so Kameni had to be at his best to keep out Susaeta and De Marcos either side of half time. The visitors have still not scored away from home this season though, and once again they failed to find the target, Iraizoz saving from Duda, Amrabat and Recio, and Amrabat and Duda firing shots wide. The point does however take them out of the bottom three pending Levante’s match on Monday.

Málaga move above Granada and also Las Palmas, who lost 3-1 at Sporting Gijón. The Asturians got off to a flying start, Javi Varas saving from Halilovic and Jorge Meré looping a header onto the bar before Sanabria opened the scoring, the striker having the easiest of tap-ins after Varas could only push out a shot from Jony. A few minutes later though Cuéllar had to save from Araujo and Tana, and with seven minutes to go to the break El Zhar got on the end of a long Garrido centre to poke home the equalizer. Both teams had chances after the restart, but with twenty minutes left on the clock Aythami was sent off for a second bookable offence, and Sanabria took advantage to score two more to complete his hat-trick, both goals coming from Jony assists.

Sporting climb four points clear of the drop zone, as do Real Sociedad, who beat local rivals Eibar 2-1 in this Sunday’s mid-day game. The visitors struck first though, Rulli having to tip an effort from Keko for a corner, and Borja Bastón getting on the end of a Sergi Enrich cross to give his side the lead in only the fourth minute. Some five minutes later however Agirretxe made it all square after Pantic could only clear a Canales centre to him, and the on-form striker went close a couple of times after that. Both teams felt they should have had penalties for fouls on Agirretxe and Borja after the interval, and Riesgo had to keep out a couple of long shots from Canales. The game appeared to be heading for a draw though until the final minute, when Canales headed on a lofted pass from Ganero, and Bruma turned the ball across for Agirretxe to slide home the winner. (06.12.15)

Barcelona were held to a 1-1 draw by Valencia on Saturday evening, and with the two Madrid teams winning, their lead at the top has been cut back. Luis Enrique’s side let their hosts off the hook in the first half, Neymar and Luis Suárez wasting easy chances, and Messi coming up against Jaume Domenech. The local keeper saved from Suárez again soon after the restart, but a few minutes later the Uruguayan striker ran on to Messi’s return pass to drive a shot past the keeper into the near top corner of the net. The Ches had hardly troubled Bravo up to then, but with ten minutes to go the visiting keeper had to be at his best to stop De Paul, and Bakkali fired another chance wide before Alcácer controlled a long pass and laid the ball across for Santi Mina to fire home the equalizer. Domenech still had to keep out a well struck Messi free kick in the dying minutes, but when the referee’s whistle went the local players celebrated as if they had won the cup final. New coach Gary Neville watched it all from the stands before he officially takes over from Nuno next week (his brother Phil was in charge for this match together with B team manager Voro), and he will be happy at least with result.

Atlético Madrid are now just two points behind Barça after they beat Granada 0-2 earlier in the evening. Godín headed the opener from a Koke corner with twenty minutes on the clock, and local keeper Andrés had to save from Carrasco soon afterwards. Youngster Peñaranda went close at the other end a couple of times either side of half time, and Oblak had to tip over another effort from Success after the restart, but Fernando Torres tested Andrés again, and with a quarter of an hour to go a triangular passing move involving Filipe Luis and Oliver Torres ended with Griezmann firing home the second. Thomas tried his luck a couple of times late on, and Rochina brought another good save out of Oblak near the end, but it was another defeat for the Andalusians, and they could end the weekend in the relegation spots if results go against them on Sunday.

Real Madrid remain two points behind their city neighbours after they beat Getafe 4-1 in the first game of the weekend, a relief for Rafa Benítez after all the recent goings on. There were whistles from the local fans before kick-off following the midweek debacle in the cup, but they soon turned to cheers when Benzema swept in Pepe’s cross with only four minutes gone. The French striker saw another header saved by Guaita before he headed the second after Bale headed on a James cross, and in the ten minutes leading up to the break Bale and Ronaldo added two more following assists by Ronaldo and Kroos, the first time in six months that the “BBC” forward line all scored. After that they slowed things down, and Alexis headed a consolation for the visitors with twenty minutes to go. Just the result that Madrid needed though, and they are back in the title race once again.

The other two games on Saturday both ended in 1-1 draws, Deportivo holding on to fifth spot for the time being at least after sharing the points with Sevilla, who stay three points below them in the table. Once again Lucas Pérez was the saviour for the locals, the experienced striker bringing a top class save out of Sergio Rico before opening the scoring with a low free kick midway through the first half. Konoplyanka headed over and Gameiro shot wide before the break, and Jonathan Rodríguez went close a couple of times in reply after the interval. Both keepers had saves to make after that, but with a quarter of an hour to go Iborra levelled the scores after Llorente headed down Mariano’s centre.

Betis and Celta also drew 1-1 in the last game of the evening, Sergio Alvarez having to make an early save from Cejudo before Bongonda latched on to Nolito’s pass to give the visitors the lead in the 24 th minute. The Galicians were left with ten men however when Jonny was sent off for pulling back Petros as he advanced on goal at the start of the second half, and from the resulting free kick Joaquín rattled the upright. Bruno saw his header cleared off the line by Wass and Rubén Castro had a couple of shots saved, and with eight minutes to go Jorge Molina finally got the equalizer after picking up a pass from Petros. Berizzo’s side hold on to fourth spot as a result, with their hosts safely ensconced in mid-table. (05.12.15)