News Archive

Match round-up - First Division, Day 10

A 1-1 draw between Deportivo and Valencia in this week’s Monday night game, the result taking the locals back out of the relegation spots and keeping their opponents a point above them in the table. Both keepers were in action early on, Tyton (making his debut in place of Lux) tipping a shot from Dani Parejo over the top, and Diego Alves saving from Juanfran. Rodrigo and Marlos Moreno traded shots later on the first half, but the Galicians went in front on the stroke of half time, Emre Çolak running in to head Juanfran’s cross past the visiting keeper. Some ten minutes in to the second half however Rodrigo stabbed Nani’s cross past Tyton to make it all square, the referee ruling correctly that the ball had crossed the line before the keeper got it away. And after that there were chances at both ends before the two sides decided to settle for a point apiece. (31.10.16)

Villarreal drop out of the Champions League spots after they lost 2-1 at Eibar in the Sunday mid-day game, a first defeat of the season leaving them down in fifth place. Chances were few and far between until shortly before the break when Bruno put the visitors ahead from the penalty spot after Lejeune tripped Sansone in the area. After the restart though Sergio Asenjo had to save from Sergi Enrich, Kiki García and Pedro León, and with ten minutes to go Iván Ramis levelled the scores after Lejuene headed the ball across following a Pedro León free kick. Soon afterwards Bakambu headed just wide of the post, and three minutes later Pedro León got the winner on a quick counter-attack to take the Basque side up to eighth in the table.

Eibar are now just a point below their two Basque neighbours, Real Sociedad, who stay sixth, and Athletic Bilbao, who are now seventh after a 1-1 draw with regional rivals Osasuna. Iraizoz had to save a couple of times from Oriol Riera before the striker headed in a Roberto Torres corner to open the scoring. Just five minutes later however ex Osasuna midfielder Raúl García equalized, steering a header past Nauzet from Sabin’s cross. After the break Muniain had an effort cleared off the line, San José and Mikel Rico volleyed shots wide and Aduríz (who had initially been rested) brought a good save out of Nauzet, but the visitors held on for a point which still leaves them down in the relegation zone.

A thrilling 3-3 draw between Las Palmas and Celta in the last match of the evening, the Galicians going three up with only twenty minutes on the clock, but the hosts pegging them back after the interval. Daniel Wass got the opener with a well struck free kick, and Iago Aspas added two more, the first from Sisto’s pass, and the second after Orellana put him through. Bigas headed one back from a Jonathan Viera free kick soon after the interval, but Pablo Hernández hit the post at the other end, and Raúl Lizoain had to save from Radoja a few minutes later. Midway through the second half though Sergi Gómez was sent off after picking up a second booking for a foul on Livaja inside the area, Viera converting the resulting penalty, and just two minutes later Boateng got on the end of Macedo’s cross to make it all square. Both teams end the weekend in mid-table.

Elsewhere Espanyol beat Betis 0-1 to move level with their hosts in the table, both now three points clear of the drop zone pending Deportivo’s game on Monday. Diego López had to keep out Sanabria a couple of times early on, and Rubén Castro fired a shot over the top as the locals dominated the opening minutes. However Adán had to save from Aarón Martín, Gerard Moreno and Piatti before the break, and with just over an hour on the clock Diego Reyes headed what was to prove the only goal from Piatti’s corner. The Andalusians could have saved a point had Diego López not pulled off the save of the day from Pezzella with the game already in injury time. But the defeat went down badly with the home fans, who chanted for Poyet to go after the final whistle. (30.10.16)

Real Madrid are now two points clear at the top of the table after they came back from a goal down to beat Alavés 1-4 on Saturday afternoon. Deyverson gave the locals an early lead after Keylor Navas failed to cut out a Theo Hernández cross, the striker controlling the ball in front of goal before turning a shot in to the empty net. However Bale had a goal ruled out for a borderline offside soon afterwards, and with a quarter of an hour gone Ronaldo levelled the scores with a hotly disputed penalty after the referee ruled that Deyverson had blocked Bale’s free kick with his arm. Theo felt he should have had a penalty at the other end, but a few minutes later Ronaldo scored his second of the game, picking up a short pass from Benzema and firing in a shot which looped off the boot of Feddal past Pacheco. After the restart Navas had to save from Camarasa and Deyverson, but Ronaldo and Bale went close, and with a quarter of an hour to go Madrid were awarded a second penalty after Dani Torres brought down Ronaldo in the area. This time Pacheco saved the Portuguese forward’s spot kick, but five minutes or so later substitute Morata made it three after running on to a long ball from Marcelo, and Ronaldo finally did complete his hat-trick after combining with Marcelo near the end.

Barcelona though are up to second spot after they won 1-0 against bottom club Granada in the last game of the evening. The Andalusians had let in more goals than anyone this season, but new coach Lucas Alcaraz packed his defence, and even with Messi, Neymar and Luis Suárez up front the hosts had problems finding a way through. The best chances in the first half fell to Luis Suárez (who was presented with the European Golden Shoe award before kick-off), the first when he was quickly closed down after picking up a long pass from Mascherano, and the second with a shot on the turn which Ochoa pushed clear. Just four minutes after the interval though Rafinha opened the scoring with an acrobatic overhead kick after Neymar’s shot came back off the post, and only some good saves by Ochoa prevented Neymar and Luis Suárez in particular from adding to the scoreline. Granada themselves didn’t manage one shot at goal all night, but the result was in doubt until the final whistle, which gives them hope for the future. Barça though will just be happy with the three points, and they go on to their Champions League tie at Manchester City having rested key players and conserved energy for that match.

Atlético Madrid stay a point behind Luis Enrique’s side after a 4-2 victory against Málaga earlier in the evening. Carrasco opened the scoring early on after Griezmann put him through, and Kameni had to save from Gameiro and Juanfran before Gameiro added the second, turning a shot past the keeper after Koné and then Camacho attempted to head out a Juanfran cross. A few minutes later though Sandro got one back, beating Oblak with a wide free kick, but with half time approaching Gameiro restored the two goal cushion after Griezmann headed across a long ball from Filipe Luis. With just under an hour gone however the locals were left with ten men when Savic picked up a second booking, and five minutes after that Camacho headed in a Chory Castro corner. The Andalusians hardly troubled Oblak from then on though, and Carrasco hit the bar with a free kick before he ran on to Correa’s pass to wrap things up with four minutes to go. Málaga were beaten, and to make matters worse Chory Castro was sent off as well near the end.

Sevilla drop from second to fourth however after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Sporting Gijón in the lunchtime kick-off. The Andalusians had finally broken their jinx away from home at Leganés two weeks ago, and with only four minutes on the clock Vietto put them in front after Ben Yedder played on a long clearance from Sergio Rico. Viguera went close at the other end though, and midway through the first half Moi Gómez connected with a Canella cross to volley home the equalizer. A minute later Franco Vázquez curled a shot against the upright, and later in the first half Ben Yedder shot just wide of the far post when free on goal, with Viguera again replying for the hosts. After the interval both teams had chances, Mercado in particular bundling a corner against the post and Burgui firing a shot wide later on, but in the end the two sides settled for a point which takes Sporting out of the relegation zone, at least for 24 hours or so. (29.10.16)

Real Sociedad moved up in to the Europa League spots pending the rest of the weekend games after a 0-2 victory at Leganés on Friday evening. Rulli had to save from Szymanowski early on and Xabi Prieto and Gabriel fired shots over the bar, but with half an hour gone Willian José headed the Basque side in to the lead from a Carlos Martínez cross. After the restart Xabi Prieto made it two after Serantes could only block a shot from Zurutuza, and the local keeper had to be at his best to tip a header from Carlos Vela over the bar soon afterwards. Rulli kept out Medjani, Szymanowski and Insúa later on as the locals tried to get back in it, but it was another home defeat, and the Madrid based side have yet to win in their Butarque stadium this season. (28.10.16)