News Archive

Match round-up - First Division, Day 24

Getafe join the battle for the Europa League spots after they beat Celta 3-0 on Monday evening. Angel was the star of the evening, opening the scoring and then setting up Jorge Molina for the second either side of half time, and then adding the third with a first time volley after Bruno lifted the ball over the defence near the end. The result takes the Madrid based team to ninth, a point above the Galicians in the table. (19.02.18)

Atlético Madrid stay seven points behind leaders Barcelona after they won 2-0 against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday afternoon. Both goals came after the break, Gameiro getting the first shortly after coming on, and Diego Costa adding the second near the end. Later in the evening Real Madrid beat Betis 3-5 in a high scoring match to remain a point behind Valencia pending their midweek game in hand at Leganés. Marco Asensio’s opener was overturned by a Mandi header and a Nacho own goal before the break, but goals from Sergio Ramos, Asensio and Ronaldo turned things around again, and although Sergio León got another one back, substitute Benzema made sure of the three points in injury time. Elsewhere Villarreal missed out on a chance to go fifth after they were held to a 1-1 draw at Espanyol, Granero saving a point for the Catalans after Rodri had given the visitors the lead. And Real Sociedad beat Levante 3-0 in the mid-day kick-off, Xabi Prieto converting an early penalty and Canales setting up Juanmi and then scoring the third himself either side of the break. Levante are still two points above the bottom three, but with a seven point gap to the clubs above them, the three relegation spots would appear to be between the Valencia based side, Las Palmas, Deportivo and Málaga. (18.02.18)

Barcelona maintain their lead at the top of the table after a 0-2 victory at Eibar on Saturday afternoon. Despite the upcoming Champions League match at Chelsea, Valverde put out a full strength side, and within a quarter of an hour Luis Suárez put them in front from a Messi assist. The locals were left with ten men when Orellana got himself sent off midway through the second half, and Jordi Alba wrapped things up near the end. Valencia consolidated third spot after they came from behind to beat bottom club Málaga 1-2 later in the evening, Coquelin heading in a Dani Parejo corner and Parejo himself converting a late penalty in the last ten minutes after Ideye had given the locals a first half lead. Sevilla meanwhile returned to fifth spot after they won 1-2 at Las Palmas in the early kick-off, Ben Yedder and Sarabia putting the Andalusians two up with goals either side of half time. Calleri got one back from the penalty spot late on though, and Galvez had an injury time strike incorrectly ruled out which would have saved a point for the Canary Islanders. They stay a point ahead of Deportivo however after the Galicians lost 1-0 at Alavés, Munir getting the only goal on the hour mark. The Vitoria based side have picked up 22 points in their last eleven games since Abelardo took over, and they are now ten points clear of the drop zone. (17.02.18)

Girona continue to rewrite the record books, a 3-0 victory over Leganés in the Friday night game taking them on to 34 points, the best start for a newcomer to the Spanish first division since Numancia did the same some 18 years ago. Stuani opened the scoring from the penalty spot early on, and Portu and Juanpe added two more to take the Catalans up to eighth place pending the rest of the weekend results. (16.02.18)