News Archive

Match round-up - First Division, Day 12

Leganés clocked up their first ever home win in the top flight after beating Osasuna 2-0 in the Monday night game. Both teams are languishing in the lower reaches of the table after winning promotion from the second division last season, the visitors in next to bottom spot and their hosts starting the game just three points above them. However with only six minutes gone Robert Ibáñez put the Madrid based side in front, drilling the rebound in to the net after Gabriel’s header from a Diego Rico cross was blocked. Later in the first half Ibáñez and Luciano Nieves went close and either side of half time Nauzet had to save from Nieves. And some twelve minutes in to the second half Ibáñez got his second of the night after Timor put him through. Local keeper Serantes was virtually troubled throughout the match, and Unai López should have increased the lead when he shot at the keeper when free on goal late on. It was a disappointing start for Osasuna’s new coach Joaquín Caparrós, who took over from Enrique Martín a few days ago. Leganés though are doing better than expected, although injuries to Szymanowski, Rico and in particular Ibáñez could affect Garitano’s plans in the near future. (21.11.16)

The battle for the fourth and final Champions League spot is hotting up, with only two points separating four teams after Sunday’s games. Villarreal stay in fourth place though despite a 1-0 defeat at Athletic Bilbao, the result taking the Basque side up to seventh in the table. Valverde’s team had the better chances in the first half, Sergio Asenjo having to save from Williams and Raúl García, and Mikel Rico and Williams missing the target. Kepa had little to do until he was tested by Samu Castillejo early on in the second half, but Williams hit the post, and soon afterwards Raúl García had the easiest of tap-ins after Asenjo could only push out a shot from Aduríz. Only a couple of good saves by the visiting keeper prevented Aduríz from adding to the lead. Although the visitors could have saved a point had Kepa not kept out a late effort from substitute Pato. .

Real Sociedad are now level with Villarreal after they won 1-3 at Sporting Gijón, the result bumping Atlético down to sixth. Xabi Prieto opened the scoring early on, lifting the ball past Cuéllar after the keeper saved a header from Iñigo Martínez. With just under half an hour gone Duje Cop levelled the scores after Moi Gómez headed back a Douglas cross, but Cuéllar had to be at his best to keep out Oyarzabal before the break, and some six minutes in to the second half Zurutuza restored the lead after connecting with a cross from Yuri. Five minutes later Iñigo Martínez made it three with an impressive free kick in to the top corner of the net, and Willian José, David Concha and Juanmi all had chances to add to the scoreline later on. It was a fourth win in a row for Eusebio’s team, and Sporting drop further down in to the relegation spots having only taken two points from their last nine games.

Granada meanwhile stay firmly anchored to the bottom of the table, a 1-1 draw at Valencia earlier in the afternoon leaving them five points away from safety without a win to their name so far this season. The Ches themselves though have fared little better in recent games, but they had most of the play early on, Ochoa having to save from Cancelo, Rodrigo and Nani. Kravets wasted a good chance though later on the first half, and with half time approaching Carcela-González gave the visitors the lead after a passing move with the striker. Just two minutes after the restart however Nani made it all square after combining with Cancelo and Dani Parejo, and only a string of saves by Ochoa, in particular from Munir, Rodrigo and Bakkali, ensured at least a point for the Andalusians.

Valencia remain just two points above the drop zone, but Espanyol distanced themselves from the danger area after they won 0-1 at Alavés in the mid-day game. The Catalans have had their better results away from home this season, and they came closest to scoring before the break, Pacheco having to save from Jurado, and Reyes hitting the bar with a well struck free kick. Camarasa and Deyverson tested Diego López at the other end though, and Deyverson had a strike ruled out after the restart for a borderline offside. With ten minutes to go the visitors were awarded a penalty when Alexis handled a Jurado cross in the area, but Pacheco guessed correctly and saved Gerard Moreno’s spot kick. However Moreno made up for his miss, the striker heading Piatti’s corner past the local keeper just a couple of minutes later to take his team above their hosts in the rankings. (20.11.16)

Real Madrid moved four points clear at the top of the table after a 0-3 victory at city rivals Atlético Madrid on Saturday night. Cristiano Ronaldo scored all three of the goals, the opener with a free kick midway through the first half which deflected off Savic past Oblak. Before that the local keeper saved from a Ronaldo header and an angled shot from Modric, and Saúl had gone closer than anyone for the locals with a volley just wide of the post. After the restart Carrasco curled a shot wide of the upright, and Koke and Griezmann both tested Keylor Navas. Bale headed a Modric free kick over the top though and Oblak tipped a shot from Isco around the post, and with twenty minutes to go Ronaldo made it two from the penalty spot after Savic brought him down in the area. A few minutes later the Portuguese striker completed his hat-trick a after connecting with a cross from Gareth Bale, and Navas kept out a late effort from Carrasco to ensure a first win for the Merengues in the Calderón stadium in three years. .

Second placed Barcelona lost ground on the leaders though after they were held to a 0-0 draw in the Nou Camp by Málaga. Missing the suspended Luis Suárez, and with Messi pulling out at the last minute with a stomach upset, Luis Enrique’s side were unable to find a way past the excellent Kameni and his defence, Neymar, Denis Suárez and Rafinha all failing to find the target before the break, and Piqué and Rafinha bringing good saves out of the local keeper. Ex Barça striker Sandro caused some problems for Ter Stegen however on counter-attacks before the break, and soon after the restart Juan Carlos rounded Ter Stegen only to shoot wide. Midway through the second half the visitors had Diego Llorente sent off for a hard tackle on Neymar, and they ended with nine men after Juan Carlos was also red-carded for protesting to the referee as the game went in to eighth minute of time added on. However Kameni pulled off a string of saves to deny Arda Turan, André Gomes and others, and although Piqué got the ball in the net near the end after a Gomes header came back off the bar, the referee ruled out the strike for a borderline offside.

Sevilla are up to third, just two points behind Barça, after they came back from behind to beat Deportivo 2-3 in the lunchtime game. Ryan Babel headed the locals in to the lead with less than a minute on the clock, and when Andone cut past three defenders to score a second just three minutes before the break, it looked like the Galicians were on track for a much needed win. However before the half time whistle N’Zonzi fired one back, and Escudero went close with a long shot after the restart. A few minutes later Depor felt they should have had a penalty when Mercado pushed over Andone in the area. But with three minutes to go Vitolo latched on to Ben Yedder’s deflected shot to make it all square, and with the game in injury time Mercado got the winner after Tyton could only block a shot from Pareja following a corner.

Eibar meanwhile are up to seventh after they beat Celta 1-0, the result taking the Basque side a point above their opponents in the table. Sergi Enrich brought a good save out of Rubén Blanco before Fran Rico got what was to prove the only goal, drilling the ball back in to the net after a header from Adrián González came back off the bar. Inui tested Blanco before the break and Adrián hit the woodwork for a second time after the interval, and Adrián came up against the visiting keeper again a couple of times after that. At the other end Bongonda felt he should have had a penalty when Riesgo brought him down in the area, but otherwise the Galicians (missing the suspended Aspas) hardly came close to scoring. Their reserve goalkeeper Sergio Alvarez and team captain Hugo Mallo were both shown red cards for protesting in the final minutes though, and they will be suspended for next weekend’s game. (19.11.16)

League football returned on Friday night following the two week international lay-off, Betis kicking things off with a 2-0 victory over Las Palmas. Both goals came from Joaquín corners in the first half, Bruno heading in the first and Mandi the second to get Víctor Sánchez del Amo off to a good start. The new coach made several changes to the side, lining up with five at the back, and Rubén Castro and Joaquín both tested Javi Varas before Bruno’s opener. Araujo volleyed a shot straight at Adán in reply, and Jonathan Viera and Boateng both fired further efforts over the top before the break. Mandi got the second however, and Adán was not troubled until he had to keep out shots from Boateng and Vicente Gómez near the end. The win takes Betis up to twelfth pending the rest of the weekend’s games, now only two points behind the Canary Islanders in the table. (18.11.16)