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Match round-up - First Division, Day 12

Regional rivals Granada and Almería ended the extended weekend just outside of the drop zone after they drew 0-0 on Monday evening. Both teams had not won for some time, in the case of the locals for seven games and for the visitors five, Caparrós’s side starting the match a point ahead of their opponents. They had the better of the early play, Rubén having to tip a couple of headers by El-Arabi over the bar and then making a good stop from Rochina, with Soriano steering a long header just wide of the post in reply. Some eight minutes in to the second half Almería were left with ten men when Azeez picked up a second booking for a rash tackle from behind on Iturra, and their hosts threw everything forward. However Rubén kept out substitute Córdoba a couple of times, after a late penalty appeal for hands by Vélez was turned down, both coaches had to settle for a point. (24.11.14)

The big three are starting to open up a bit of a gap over the rest, Valencia dropping two points behind third placed Atlético after losing 2-1 to city rivals Levante on Sunday evening. An injury to Alcácer meant that Negredo got his first start for his new club, and after setting up Gayà for him to shoot in to the stands, he saw his header from a corner go over the bar. The first real chance for the locals came late in the first half when Barral headed wide, but after the restart Diego Alves had to save from Víctor Casadesús and Barral before Casadesús beat him with a looping header from an Ivanschitz corner. Substitute Dani Parejo equalized after picking up a return pass from Negredo with twenty minutes or so to go, but just a minute later another substitute Morales put the home side back in front with an impressive shot from outside of the area. The Ches tried to save something from the match after that, Mariño keeping out a Negredo headed and De Paul shooting just wide, but Lucas Alcaraz’s team held on for a third home win in a row against their rivals, a result which sees them move out of the drop zone once again.

Celta missed out on a chance to return to the European spots after they were beaten 1-0 by Rayo Vallecano in this Sunday’s mid-day kick-off. The Galicians had not lost away from home all season, but they went behind in the twentieth minute when an opportunist Bueno got his head to Kakuta’s cross to beat Sergio Alvarez. Later in the first half Krohn-Dehli hit the post, Alex López forced a couple of good saves out of Cristian Alvarez and Larrivey headed a long Nolito free kick wide as the visitors turned up the gas, and after the restart there were chances for both sides, Augusto Fernández coming up against Cristian again and Cabral heading a corner against the bar, and Kakuta in particular testing Sergio later on. No further goals though, and Rayo move safely up to mid-table after bringing to an end a run of three losses in a row.

Villarreal took advantage of defeats of the three teams above them to close back to within three points of the top six thanks to a 2-1 victory over Getafe. It took them some time to get going though, and the visitors were by far the better side early on, Freddy Hinestroza, Yoda and Escudero firing shots just wide and Asenjo having to save from Hinestroza. However with seven minutes to go to the break Mario ran on to Vietto’s through ball to open the scoring, and some five minutes later Gerard Moreno made it two with a shot on the turn after Cheryshev laid the ball back from left of the area. Lacen pulled one back for the visitors though with a low shot on the hour mark, and Asenjo had to be at his best to prevent Michel from levelling the scores late on.

Bottom club Córdoba thought they were on for a first win of the season when they went two up at fellow strugglers Elche with half an hour remaining, but in the end they had to settle for their seventh draw after the locals came back to make it 2-2. Fran Escribá’s side had an early chance to take the lead when Pinillos gave away a penalty on Cristian Herrera, but Juan Carlos guessed correctly and saved the resulting Jonathas spot kick. And just a few minutes later Fidel put the visitors ahead against his old club after picking up a Borja Gómez through ball to beat Tyton. With an hour on the clock Fede Cartabia made it two after a quick passing move with Borja Gómez, but just three minutes later Lombán converted a second penalty, again Pinillos the perpetrator with a clumsy kick at Fajr, and Jonathas made up for his earlier mistake with a first time volley from Cisma’s cross with a quarter of an hour to go. (23.11.14)

Real Madrid stay in top spot after a 0-4 victory at Eibar on Saturday evening, a fourteenth win in a row for Ancelotti’s side in all competitions, nine of which have been in the league. This was a David versus Goliath battle, Madrid’s annual budget over 35 times that of their hosts, although the small pitch and an enthusiastic capacity crowd helped to level the playing field. Manu del Moral missed an early chance for the locals, but Irureta had to be at his best to tip a Bale free kick over the bar, and midway through the first half James headed the visitors in front from Ronaldo’s lofted cross, the referee waving away appeals that Benzema was in an offside position during the build up. Casillas did well to prevent Saúl Berjón from equalizing soon afterwards, but Irureta had to keep out a point blank shot from Sergio Ramos at the other end, and with the first half coming to a close Ronaldo connected with a Dani Carvajal cross to make it two. After the restart Irureta saved again from Ramos, and Isco fired a shot wide before Benzema scored his side’s third, firing a shot past the keeper after James laid the ball back from the by-line. And with five minutes to go Ronaldo completed the scoring from the penalty spot after Albentosa blocked his free kick with his arm inside the area, taking his tally for the season to a record twenty in only eleven league games.

Madrid remain two points clear of Barcelona, who hold on to the second spot after hammering fifth placed Sevilla 5-1. The hero of the night was undoubtedly Messi, who helped himself to a hat-trick to pass Zarra’s all-time record as the highest scorer in the history of the league. The Argentinian superstar was under scrutiny after rumours that he was unsettled in the Nou Camp, but he had a penalty appeal turned down and a shot saved before he curled an impressive free kick in to the top corner of Beto’s net with just over twenty minutes gone. Jordi Alba and Neymar could have added to the lead at the end of the first half, but just a minute or so after the interval Vitolo crossed in from the left wing, and Alba deflected the ball in to his own net to level the scores. However a couple of minutes later Neymar got on the end of Xavi’s long centre following a set piece free kick to head his team back in front, and some twenty minutes in to the second half Rakitic headed in the third after Luis Suárez chipped the ball across from the right. Messi though took the spotlight after that, sliding in Neymar’s centre to beat Zarra’s 251 goals, and then picking up a return pass from Neymar to fire a low shot past Beto for the fifth. His colleagues lifted him in the air in celebration, and after the final whistle they applauded him off the pitch. A poster from the fans said it all, “a legend lives on”!

Atlético Madrid were first up on Saturday though, and they beat Málaga 3-1 to put the pressure on the top two. The Andalusians had won their last six matches, but they went behind in the twelfth minute when Tiago got in front of his marker to head Koke’s corner in to the net from the near post. With the first half coming to a close Griezmann got on the end of Turan’s cross to make it two, and Kameni had to be at his best to keep out a header from substitute Raúl Jiménez early on in the second half. With just over an hour gone though the visitors got one back, Santa Cruz acrobatically hooking Samu Castillejo’s long cross in to the top corner of the net, and Sergio Sánchez came close to equalizing following a corner a few minutes later. Kameni had to keep out Jiménez again however, and the Andalusians were left with ten men when Samuel picked up a rigorous second booking for a foul on the Mexican striker. Griezmann wasted a couple of chances after that, but with seven minutes to go Godín headed in Tiago’s lofted cross, and although Gabri was also sent off near the end, Atleti had the three points in the bag.

Later in the evening Deportivo and Real Sociedad drew 0-0 on a rainy night in La Coruña, a first point for Real’s new coach David Moyes. The Basque side had the better of the first half, Canales firing a shot wide and then seeing another effort blocked by Fabricio, the ball hitting the keeper in the face. Agirretxe also felt he should have had a penalty when brought down by Lopo, and Fabricio did well to tip a shot by Vela over the bar following a free kick quickly taken with a little help by Moyes, who provoked the anger of (and a red card for) the Depor physical trainer when he stepped on to the pitch to kick the ball rapidly back to the free kick taker. Depor didn’t test Zubikarai until later on, the visiting keeper saving from a Luisinho shot and a Pablo Insúa header either side of half time. Vela hit the side netting a few minutes later, and José Rodríguez struck a long shot over the top and saw another effort saved by Zubikarai near the end. A point apiece though, and the result leaves both teams just above the bottom three pending the rest of the weekend games. (22.11.14)

Athletic Bilbao are gradually recovering from their bad start to the current campaign, and they extended their unbeaten run in the league to five matches after winning 3-1 against Espanyol on Friday evening. The Catalans themselves had only picked up two points away from home all season, and although they had the better chances early on, they went behind on the half hour mark when Aduríz’s header from a Susaeta corner hit Stuani and deflected in to the net. Viguera added a second on the stroke of half time after Aduríz put him through, and Valverde’s side could have been further in front had the referee not turned down penalty claims by Aduríz and Muniain. Midway through the second half Stuani turned a shot just wide, and substitute Salva Sevilla hit the post with an angled shot, but soon afterwards Iturraspe wrapped things up with an impressive long shot which curled away from Kiko Casilla before going in off the post. Víctor Sánchez did get one back for the visitors late on after good work by Sevilla, but it was scant consolation, and they remain just two points off the drop zone pending the rest of the weekend’s games. (21.11.14)