News Archive

Match round-up - First Division, Day 16

Barcelona stay at the top of the table going in to the short Christmas break after their closest rivals Atlético Madrid lost 1-0 at Málaga in the last match on Sunday. With the Catalans’ league match at Sporting postponed due to the Club World Cup, even a point would have taken Simeone’s men above them in the table. However they were unable to find the route to goal against a well ordered defence, and Kameni was only troubled in the first half by a Carrasco free kick. Charles brought two top class saves from Oblak at the other end though, and Recio fired a free kick over the top soon after the restart. Some ten minutes into the second half the visitors were left with ten men when Gabi picked up a second booking for cutting out a pass with his hand, but even so Kameni had to be at his best to keep out Fernando Torres. It seemed though that Atleti were still going to get the point they needed until four minutes from the end, when Charles got on the end of Amrabat’s cross to fire in a first time volley which hit Godín on the foot and deflected past Oblak inside the near post. A much needed win for Javi Gracía’s side, and they move up to thirteenth, some three points clear of the relegation spots.

As a result Real Madrid close to within two points of the leaders after a massive 10-2 victory over neighbours Rayo Vallecano in the first game of the day. Danilo got the opener early on, but even so the visitors actually managed to overturn the scoreline, Amaya heading in a corner and Jozabed scoring a second with another header from a Pedro Hernández cross. At that point there were boos and whistles from the home fans, but then disaster struck for the visitors, Tito getting himself sent off with a two footed tackle on Kroos. Soon afterwards Bale launched himself forward to head in Danilo’s cross, and with half an hour gone Rayo found themselves down to nine after Raúl Baena picked up a second booking for pushing over Sergio Ramos in the area, Ronaldo converting the resulting penalty. Bale added a fourth before the break after James put him through, and at the start of the second half Benzema and Ronaldo made it five and six after two more James assists. The floodgates were open, Bale scoring two more to take his tally to four in the match, and Benzema also completed his hat-trick for Madrid’s highest scoreline in 55 years. With their Champions League win over Malmö that made it an amazing 18 goals now in their last two home games, but even so some fans were not happy, defeats against Barcelona and Villarreal, and the fiasco in the cup, still fresh in their minds. Benítez has not won them over just yet.

Celta meanwhile stay two points behind Real Madrid in fourth place after a 0-2 victory at Granada. Orellana gave the Galicians the lead in the twentieth minute after a quick passing move with Iago Aspas and Josep Señé, and Bongonda went close a couple of times before Aspas got on the end of Jonny’s cross on the stroke of half time to turn the second past Andrés. Only Isaac Success caused any problems for Rubén Blanco, and after the restart Aspas and Señé both went close to adding to the scoreline. Rayo’s big defeat earlier in the day means that Granada stay out of the bottom three, above the Madrid based side on goal difference, but this was a setback for Sandoval after the recent away win at Levante.

Villarreal remain just a point below Celta though after they won 0-2 at Real Sociedad. Both teams traded shots before Illarramendi gave the ball away in midfield, Denis Suárez picking up the loose ball and running on to drill a low shot past Rulli. The Basque side threw everything forward, Agirretxe volleying just wide before the interval, and after the restart Areola saving an Elustondo header, and Agirretxe, Canales and Vela all failing to find the target. However with two minutes to go Bakambu headed on a long clearance, and Suárez ran on past Rulli, well out of his area, to steer a shot into an empty net. Jonathas could have got one back at the end, but between Areloa and the woodwork the ball stayed out. This was just not Real’s night.

Athletic Bilbao are also closing in on the European spots, a 2-0 win against bottom club Levante taking them up to seventh, just two points below Deportivo. Ghilas wasted a couple of chances to put the visitors in front in the first half, but Susaeta fired a shot against the post, and Aduríz brought a good save out of Diego Mariño before San José got on the end of Beñat’s corner to head the opener some ten minutes in to the second half. Aduríz tested the visitng keeper again after that, and with eight minutes to go Williams ran on to an Aduríz through ball to wrap things up. That gave Valverde the opportunity to bring on Muniain, returning after a long injury lay-off, and only another good save from Mariño prevented him from celebrating his return with a goal. (20.12.15)

Sixth placed Deportivo closed in on the teams above them with a 2-0 victory over Eibar in the last match on Saturday night. Both sides had won through difficult cup ties midweek, the visitors in particular overturning a 3-0 scoreline against Ponferradina, and chances were few and far between in the opening half an hour or so. Some five minutes before the break however Depor were awarded a questionable penalty when Riesgo and Lucas Pérez clashed in the area, Pérez drilling home the resulting spot kick to equal Bebeto’s club scoring record of seven consecutive games. After the restart Escalante fired a shot just wide of the post, and midway through the second half the Galicians were left with ten men when Luisinho picked up a second booking for diving in the area. But even so Arribas headed in a Fayçal Fajr cross to make it two a few minutes later, and the locals held on to move five points clear of their opponents in the table.

Sevilla and Valencia remain outside of the top six however after both were held to draws earlier in the evening. Sevilla played out a scoreless match at city neighbours Betis, a physical contest in which there were 41 fouls, twelve yellow cards and one red for Betis assistant coach Ricardo Ríos. Honours were even in the first half, Adán having to save from Gameiro, Konoplyanka seeing his shot deflected for a corner, and Vargas, N’Diaye and Rubén Castro failing to hit the target at the other end. Both sides had penalty appeals turned down, and after the interval Adán had to save from Gameiro, and Reyes curled a free kick wide before the referee finally called it a day. It’s not over yet though, the two rivals also having to face off in the cup in two weeks’ time!

Valencia meanwhile could only draw 2-2 against Getafe, a poor result for new coach Gary Neville, who was hoping to see things take off this week. All the goals came in the first half, Sarabia giving the visitors the lead with a well struck free kick on the ten minute mark. Soon afterwards Paco Alcácer got on the end of a Cancelo cross to volley home an impressive equalizer, but just ten minutes later Lafita restored the lead for the Madrid based side after Mustafi could only deflect the ball into his path. Santi Mina got on the end of a Cancelo cross to level it again however just a minute after coming on, and after the interval Guaita just managed to push out a wide Parejo free kick, the referee turning down appeals from the local players that the ball had crossed the line. Negredo brought a good save out of Guaita after that, but Fran Escribá’s side could have come away with more had Lafita’s shot not crashed against the crossbar late on.

Elsewhere Espanyol moved up safely to mid-table after beating next to bottom club Las Palmas 1-0, a second victory in four days for new coach Constantín Galca after his side knocked Levante out of the cup midweek. Pau López had to save from Araujo and Momo early on though, and Nauzet fired a good chance wide with the goal at his mercy. But either side of half time Marco Asensio, Moreno, Hernán Pérez and Caicedo all went close, and midway through the second half Caicedo got on the end of a Javi López cross to score what was to prove the only goal of the game. After that substitute Salva Sevilla put Caicedo through only for him to fall over his own feet, and then floated in a free kick which Abraham turned against the upright, but the Catalans had already done enough to clock up only their second league win in eight games. (19.12.15)