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Match round-up - First Division, Day 9

Only two points separate the top five clubs after Sevilla and Atlético Madrid both won on Sunday, Sevilla now level on points with leaders Barcelona after a last minute 2-1 victory over Villarreal. Both teams had played Europa League ties midweek, and honours were shared in the first half, Bruno firing a shot just over the top and Deulofeu hitting the upright with an inswinging corner, and Coke and Giovani trading shots. Beto had to be at his best though to keep out Uche a couple of times either side of the interval and then Trigueros early on in the second half, and with ten minutes to go Vietto gave the away team the lead after a quick passing move ended with Cani putting him though. However Denis Suárez equalized a few minutes later after the defence failed to clear Coke’s centre, and Bacca converted an injury time penalty after Giovani tripped Trémoulinas on the edge of the area to give the Andalusians the three points.

Later in the evening Atlético Madrid beat city rivals Getafe 0-1, and although they remain in fifth spot, they remain within reach of their rivals in the table. With all above them but Barcelona winning, Simeone’s side needed the three points, and Guaita had to make important saves from Griezmann, Siqueira and Raúl García before the break. Lacen shot wide in reply, but with five minutes to go to half time Koke’s corner came out to Griezmann whose shot was blocked by the keeper, and although Turan scuffed his shot on the rebound, Mandzukic was on hand to turn the deflection in to the net. Moyà had to keep out a deflection from his own player as well as efforts by Alexis and Velázquez after the break, but soon afterwards Alexis was sent off for punching Mandzukic from behind as tempers started to fray in what was becoming a very physical match. Even so though Moyà was in action again to save from an inswinging Sammir corner and from another shot by Lafita, and Atleti were grateful when the final whistle went a few minutes later.

Málaga move above Villarreal to seventh after a comfortable 4-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano in the mid-day kick-off, a third win in a row for Xavi Gracia’s side. The Andalusians were on top from the first minute, when Amaya had to clear off the line from Samu Castillejo with Toño beaten, and just five minutes later Samuel opened the scoring with a shot from the edge of the area which took a deflection off Zé Castro to wrong-foot the keeper. Sergi Darder made it two in the twentieth minute after Amrabat and Antunes combined to set him up, and shortly before half time Juanmi got the third, picking up Amrabat’s assist before chipping a shot past Toño. Rayo’s only reply had been a half-hearted penalty appeal by Trashorras, and four minutes in to the second half Amrabat completed the scoring from the penalty spot after Amaya pulled down Samuel in the area.

Espanyol are in to the top half of the table as well after they drew 0-0 against Deportivo. The Catalans will feel though that they dropped points after dominating for most of the game, Lucas Vázquez hitting the bar with an early free kick and Fabricio turning a shot by Paco Montañés around the post before the break. Medunjanin did go close with a long free kick soon after the restart, but Stuani went close a couple of times in the next few minutes, and Fabricio had to make a string of top class saves from Lucas, Caicedo and Alvaro amongst others to ensure a point which keeps the Galicians three points clear of the drop zone. (26.10.14)

First blood to Real Madrid in this Saturday’s “clásico”, Ancelotti’s side coming from behind to beat leaders Barcelona 3-1! Luis Enrique took a big chance and included Luis Suárez in the starting line-up just a day after his four-month ban ended, and it appeared to pay off when he crossed in for Neymar to open the scoring with only four minutes gone. And a few minutes later it could have been two had Casillas not made a first class save from Messi following another Suárez cross. Before that however Benzema had headed against the bar and then fired a shot against the upright on the follow up, and with ten minutes to go to the break Ronaldo levelled the scores from the penalty spot after Piqué blocked Marcelo’s cross with his arm inside the area, the first goal that Bravo had let in all season. With half time approaching James headed wide from another Marcelo centre, and five minutes after the restart Pepe headed the locals in to the lead from a Kroos corner. Casillas pulled off another first class save soon afterwards from a long shot by Mathieu, but otherwise Madrid were on top, and on the hour mark they launched a rapid counter-attack following a Barça corner which ended with James slipping the ball through for Benzema to score the third. That was the killer blow, and the Merengues could have won by a bigger margin in the end had they taken their chances later on. It was their ninth straight win in all competitions, and they move to within a point of their arch-rivals, who saw their 13 game unbeaten run in the league come to an end. The battle is back on!

Later in the evening Valencia won 3-1 against Elche to stay a point behind Real Madrid in the rankings. It was a celebratory night in the Mestalla stadium, and there was a packed crowd to welcome new owner Peter Lim, who had finally tied up the purchase of the club after ten months of negotiations. The Ches went two up with less than twenty minutes gone, Mustafi and then Dani Parejo heading in Piatti corners. And after that they kept up the pressure, visiting keeper Manu Herrera having to save from Paco Alcácer and Parejo before the break, and Piatti firing a shot just wide of the post after the restart. A few minutes later the locals went further in front, Alcácer heading on another Piatti corner which Lombán could only deflect in to his own net. Rodrigo went close, and Negredo came on for his first appearance since joining the club having recovered from a long injury, the Spanish international striker lobbing a shot just over the bar. Elche finally got something out of the game when Jonathas headed in a last minute corner, but it came too late to prevent his side dropping further down in to the relegation zone. This was Valencia’s night, and the fans are hoping for something big under the new management.

Eibar and Granada remain in mid-table after they drew 1-1 in Ipurúa on Saturday night. Both teams had gone four games without a win, but Nyom put the visitors ahead in the eighth minute after collecting a long cross from Foulquier before beating Irureta. Piovaccari had a strike ruled out soon afterwards for what the referee considered to be a foul on the keeper, but with eight minutes to go to the interval Bóveda equalized with an impressive shot from outside of the area after Saúl’s cross was only partly cleared by a defender. Either side of half time Piovaccari fired a shot across goal and then had another effort cleared off the line by Murillo with the keeper beaten, and later in the second half Capa shot wide and Mainz had a headed goal ruled out for offside. In the end though both coaches decided that a draw was a fair result.

Athletic Bilbao move three points clear of the drop zone after beating Almería 0-1 in the first match of the day, a result which took some of the pressure off Ernesto Valverde following the Basque side’s defeat at Porto in their midweek Champions League match. Their hosts themselves needed a result as well having not won at home all season, but neither team caused too many problems for the opposing keeper before the break. Some ten minutes in to the second half though Athletic took the lead following a Susaeta corner, Muniain playing the ball back in to the area and Aduríz touching it on for Etxeita to poke a shot past Rubén. Substitute Thievy fired a shot against the crossbar and Soriano felt he should have had a penalty as the locals tried to get back in the game, but the visitors held on for their first league win since the end of August.

Athletic’s neighbours Real Sociedad are still only a point above the bottom three though after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Córdoba, who themselves were under the control of Miroslav Djukic after Chapi Ferrer was fired earlier in the week. Iñigo Martínez gave the Basque side the lead following a Canales free kick midway through the first half, but otherwise they hardly managed a shot on goal all night. Visiting keeper Zubikarai had to save from Ghilas soon after the interval, and Xisco somehow missed the easiest of chances from a yard out after Fidel set him up in front of goal. However with three minutes to go Xisco bundled the ball in to the net after Fede’s deflected cross came back off the far post, the referee waving away appeals for hand-ball. The point takes the Andalusians off the bottom of the pack thanks to a superior goal difference over Elche and Levante, but Real remain just above them all in the table, and coach Jagoba Arrasate could be the next to be asking his way to the unemployment offices. (25.10.14)

Celta are back up to sixth in the table pending the rest of the weekend games after beating struggling Levante 3-0 on Friday evening. Lucas Alcaraz was in charge of the Valencia based side for the first time after coach Mendilibar was fired earlier in the week. But there was little improvement, and the locals went ahead midway through the first half when Santi Mina and Pablo Hernández combined to set up Larrivey, the referee waving away appeals for offside. Alcaraz made two changes at the break, and Ivanschitz rattled the crossbar with twenty minutes or so to go. However ten minutes later Larrivey headed in his second of the night after Diego Mariño could only push Nolito’s shot in to his path, and Alex López completed the scoring in the last minute with a speculative long shot which Mariño let through his hands. (24.10.14)