News Archive

Match round-up - First Division, Day 15

Villarreal moved back up in to the Champions League spots after a 3-0 victory over Atlético Madrid on Monday evening. The locals had the better chances early on, Soriano shooting wide and Savic blocking an acrobatic effort from Jonathan Dos Santos with the keeper beaten. A few minutes later Koke hit the post after a corner, but with just under half an hour gone Trigueros put the locals ahead after Soriano won the ball off Godín following a poor back pass by Tiago. Asenjo had to save from Griezmann after that, but once again the hosts took advantage of some slack defending after Oblak could only push out an angled shot from Pato, Dos Santos turning the ball in to the net after his first effort came back off the post. There was further bad news for Simeone when Oblak dislocated his shoulder in the action, Moyà the second substitute to come on after Tiago limped off a few minutes earlier. After the restart Griezmann tested Asenjo again, and Saúl fired a shot just wide, but with the game coming to a close Soriano combined with N’Diaye to wrap up a win which takes Fran Escribá’s team above their opponents in the table. (12.12.16)

Sevilla are proving to be firm contenders for the league title this season, and they remain a point behind Barcelona in third place after a 0-3 victory at Celta on Sunday. Both teams had been successful in Europe midweek, the Andalusians qualifying for the knock-out stage of the Champions League on Wednesday, and the Galicians doing likewise in the Europa League on Thursday. The two keepers were in action early on, Sergio Rico saving from Iago Aspas and Rubén Blanco keeping out Ben Yedder, and N’Zonzi steered a header on to the bar before the break. Soon after the restart though Iborra put the visitors in front with a header from Sarabia’s corner, and later in the second half he added two more to complete his hat-trick, the first after Vitolo set him up, and the second from the penalty spot following a foul by Cabral on Joaquín Correa in the area

Athletic Bilbao stay outside of the top six though after they were beaten 1-0 by Betis on a rainy night in Sevilla. The only goal came in the eighteenth minute, Rubén Castro latching on to Sanabria’s return pass to turn a shot past Kepa. Aduríz and Williams went close a couple of times for the visitors, but otherwise the locals had the better of the first half, with Sanabria and Castro in particular failing to convert chances. After the interval Adán had to save from Aduríz and Muniain, and Aduríz headed a Beñat free kick wide of the mark, but the Andalusians could have won by a bigger margin had Yeray not cleared off the line from Joaquín with the keeper beaten.

Eibar are now just a point below Valverde’s side after a 0-0 against neighbours Alavés in the mid-day kick-off. It was a typical local derby, with few chances throughout the ninety minutes. Pacheco had to save from Rubén Peña and Sergi Enrich in the opening minutes, and Yoel (replacing the injured Riesgo) had to keep out Manu García shortly before the break. The closest anyone came to scoring was when a long cross-come-shot from Pedro León bounced off the crossbar after the interval, although Deyverson did fire a last minute effort wide of the post, albeit that he was then ruled offside.

Espanyol are also within a point of the European places after beating struggling Sporting Gijón 2-1 later in the evening. Both teams had chances in a lively first half, but some ten minutes after the restart Caicedo headed the opener, getting in front of a hesitant Cuéllar to head a Víctor Sánchez free kick in to the net. Soon afterwards Caicedo charged down a clearance from the keeper, the ball rebounding in to the net but the referee ruling out the strike for what he considered to be hand ball by the striker. With the game coming to an end Leo Baptistao added a second following a quick breakaway, and Duje Cop got a last minute consolation for the visitors with a well struck free kick, the goal finally bringing to an end Diego López’s club record run of five games without letting in a goal. (11.12.16)

Real Madrid held on to their six point lead at the top of the table after coming from behind to beat Deportivo 3-2 on Saturday evening. With one eye on next week’s Club World Cup, Zidane made no less than eight changes from the initial line-up against Barcelona last Saturday, Ronaldo, Benzema and Modric all rested, and Kroos, Casemiro and Morata making their first start after long injury lay-offs. As a result there were few chances in the first half, the best a couple of efforts off target from Isco and Sergio Ramos, a shot from James which Tyton kept out, and two attempts from Borges which hit the woodwork. Some five minutes after the restart Morata opened the scoring for the locals, curling a shot past Tyton after picking up a pass from Isco. But a few minutes later substitute Joselu levelled the scores after Andone won the ball off Casemiro, and just two minutes later the ex Real Madrid striker got his second of the night after picking up a cross from Andone. That woke Madrid up though, and Mariano came on to loop the ball off his shoulder past the visiting keeper from a Lucas Vázquez centre. Soon afterwards the players clashed after Tyton was injured saving from Morata, and with the game in injury time Ramos headed the winner from a Kroos corner to make it a record 35 games without defeat for his side.

The result means that second placed Barcelona will not now be able to catch Madrid before the Christmas break despite a 0-3 victory at bottom club Osasuna in the early kick-off. The Pamplona based side held on for an hour or so, although they were lucky not to go behind when Luis Suárez steered an early chance wide and then turned a shot against the post. Nauzet also had to keep out Messi a couple of times, and Iniesta volleyed a shot just wide of the upright shortly before the break. Soon after the restart though Sergio León ran through to fire a long shot against the crossbar, but a few minutes later Messi and Jordi Alba combined to set up Luis Suárez for the opener. Nauzet had to save again from Messi after that, and with twenty minutes to go Messi clipped a second past the the local keeper after Alba laid the ball across from the by-line. Ter Stegen did eventually have to save from Berenguer later on, but with the game in time added on Messi found his way past six defenders to score what was his eleventh in the league this season.

Real Sociedad are up to fourth pending Atlético’s match on Monday after they beat Valencia 3-2, the defeat leaving the Ches teetering on the edge of the relegation zone. Willian José headed in two corners in the first quarter of the match, but later in the first half Dani Parejo got one back from the penalty spot after Iñigo Martínez bundled over Santi Mina, who had just come on to replace a disappointing Fede Cartabia. With an hour on the clock Diego Alvés saved another penalty from Carlos Vela after Aderlan Santos brought him down in the area. However Cancelo was sent off for a second bookable offence a few minutes later, and Juanmi added third in injury time before Bakkali scored again for the visitors with the last kick of the match.

Elsewhere Las Palmas and Leganés cancelled each other out in a 1-1 draw, the result leaving the Canary Islanders still two points below the European spots, and their opponents three above the drop zone. Livaja connected with a Michel Macedo cross to give the hosts the lead in the twentieth minute, but Javi Varas had to be at his best to keep out Machís a couple of times before the break. Asier Garitano brought on Guerrero for the second half though, and the ex Sporting striker caused a few problems for the local defence before levelling the scores from the penalty spot after David García brought him down with a quarter of an hour to go. (10.12.16)

Málaga and Granada drew 1-1 in the Friday night game, the result taking the locals up to eighth, and leaving their regional neighbours still in next to bottom spot. Camacho headed Juande Ramos’ side in to the lead from a Rosales cross midway through the first half, and only a great save by ex-Málaga keeper Ochoa prevented Villanueva from scoring a second before the break. Juan Carlos tested Ochoa again after the restart, and Sandro got the ball in the net only to be pulled up for a borderline offside, but with ten minutes to go Kravets got on the end of an Alberto Bueno free kick to level the scores. Boyko had to save from the Ukrainian striker a minute later, but Ochoa had to be at his best to keep out headers from Llorente and Sandro, and with the game in time added on Llorente headed the ball in to the net only for the referee to rule it out for the positional offside of Villanueva. (09.12.16)