News Archive

Copa del Rey, quarter-finals, second leg

Sevilla and Valencia will join Barcelona and Celta in tomorrow’s semi-final draw after both won through their ties on Thursday evening. Sevilla were already two goals to the advantage against second division Mirandés, and an Iborra penalty after Vélez brought down Cristóforo in the Anduva stadium with less than ten minutes gone virtually ended the contest. Salinas did head against the post after the restart, but Juan Muñoz turned in Vitolo’s cross with twenty minutes to go, and Coke headed in a long cross in injury time to make it 0-3 in the end.

Valencia though had more problems against Las Palmas before they finally won through 0-1 on the night. A 1-1 draw in the first leg in Mestalla gave the Canary Islanders the edge for the return leg, and Mat Ryan had to save a Willian José free kick early on. However with twenty minutes gone Rodrigo turned an André Gomes cross past Raúl Lizoain, the referee waving away claims for offside, and Negredo, Gomes, Dani Parejo and Mustafi all went close before the break. In the end though Ryan had to keep out efforts from Momo, Viera and others in a late flurry of attacks to prevent the locals from taking the tie into extra time. (28.01.16)

A big surprise in Wednesday night’s cup games, Celta beating Atlético Madrid 2-3 in the Calderón stadium to reach the semi-finals for the first time in 15 years! After the scoreless draw a week ago, Simeone’s side were favourites to go through. However Pablo Hernández headed the visitors in front following a short corner midway through the first half, and although Griezmann equalized soon afterwards after Rubén Blanco could only parry a shot from Carrasco, Guidetti restored the lead with an impressive shot a few minutes after the restart. Pablo Hernández headed a third with just over an hour gone, and a strike from substitute Correa (who hit the bar minutes earlier) came too late to change the result.

Barcelona join Celta in the semi-finals after they beat Athletic Bilbao 3-1 later in the evening, although they too suffered before winning through in the end. Williams put the visitors ahead early on after Aduríz set him up, and it was not until early on in the second half that Luis Suárez connected with Messi’s cross to make it all square. However Piqué brought a good save out of Herrerín before he headed in a second from a Dani Alves cross, and Neymar latched on to a Sergi Roberto assist to fire a shot into to the top corner of the net and complete what was in the end a flattering result. (27.01.16)