News Archive

Match round-up - First Division, Day 3

Deportivo beat Rayo Vallecano 1-3 in the Monday night game, the result taking the Galicians up to seventh, and leaving their hosts just above their neighbours Getafe in next to bottom spot. Celso Borges headed the opener from a Luis Alberto cross in the seventh minute, but Javi Guerra had a headed goal ruled out at the other end for offside, and soon afterwards Ebert stepped over a through ball to allow Embarba to make it all square. However just a minute later Luis Alberto restored the lead after the local defence failed to clear a Juanfran cross, and Juan Carlos had to save from Fajr before Lucas Pérez ran on to Mosquera’s pass to make it three with an hour on the clock. Pérez could have added a couple more after that, and Rayo ended with ten men after Ebert was sent off for insulting the referee late on. (14.09.15)

Barcelona are the only team to take maximum points from their first three games after their closest rivals Celta and Eibar could only draw on Sunday evening. Celta got off to a good start against Las Palmas, Nolito going close a couple of times before Iago Aspas was brought down in the area by Javi Varas, Orellana converting the resulting penalty after the visiting keeper was sent off and replaced by Raúl Lizoain. Daniel Wass made it two just five minutes later, scoring from close up after his first shot was blocked by a defender on the line, and although Araujo got one back for the ten men before the break, Nolito restored the two goal cushion after Orellana set him up just three minutes after the restart. However with an hour on the clock Pablo Hernández deflected a low Jonathan Viera cross into his own net though under pressure from Araujo, and with a quarter of an hour to go David Simón connected with a Bigas centre to beat Sergio Alvarez again for a final 3-3 scoreline.

Later in the evening Eibar kept up their unbeaten record with a 0-0 draw at Málaga, and they ended the day two points behind the leaders in fifth spot. The locals had yet to score in the league, and once again they failed to find the target, Charles and Amrabat shooting wide and Riesgo making the save of the night from Charles just before the interval. Keko turned a Saúl Berjón cross just wide of the post at the other end, and Adrián González fired a spectacular overhead kick past the upright shortly before the break, and after the restart substitute Borja Bastón felt he should have had a penalty when he was pulled down in the area late on. Duje Cop could have won it for the locals though had he realized he was onside in the dying minutes, his rushed shot going wide. But for the second time in a row the fans left the Rosaleda stadium without seeing a single goal, and Málaga join Real Sociedad and Sporting Gijón on two points, zero goals for, and one goal against, one of the slowest starts to a season on record.

Athletic Bilbao meanwhile got their first points of the season after a 3-1 victory over Getafe, who remain at the foot of the table as a result of a third defeat in a row. Aduríz headed the Basque side into an early lead from a Beñat corner, and although Iraizoz had to save from Pedro León and Velázquez, new signing Raúl García headed the second from Susaeta’s cross a few minutes later. García fired a shot just wide and Guaita had to save from Aduríz before the break, but San José had to head a Lafita shot off the line after the restart, and soon afterwards Velázquez latched on to a loose ball on the edge of the area to fire in a shot which went through the hands of the local keeper. That was the end of Getafe’s challenge though, and with six minutes to go Aduríz put the game beyond their reach with his second goal after substitute Eraso crossed in from the left wing.

Villarreal moved up to third spot pending the evening matches after beating Granada 1-3 in this week’s Sunday mid-day game. Chances were few and far between in the first half, Soldado and Javi Márquez shooting wide at either end. However at the start of the second half two poor clearances by local keeper Andrés Fernández let the visitors in, Samu Castellano intercepting the first to set up Manu Trigueros for the opener, and Trigueros passing through for Bakambu to make it two just a couple of minutes later. Fran Rico got one back after a cross from substitute Thievy was blocked, and Krhin fired an effort over the top when free in front of goal a few minutes later. However with the game in time added on an angled shot from Denis Suárez came back off the post, and Samuel was on hand to clip the rebound back into the net. (13.09.15)

Barcelona made it three wins out of three after coming from behind to beat Atlético Madrid 1-2 in the Calderón stadium on Saturday evening. Luis Enrique had to put out a makeshift side, with Bravo and Alves injured, Piqué suspended and Messi on the bench after a gruelling trip to play for Argentina, coupled with a day or two off after becoming a father for the second time. However they still had the better chances in the first half against a defensive host, Oblak having to save from Rakitic and Luis Suárez turning a shot against the crossbar after a corner was headed on. Fernando Torres had already gone close though at the other end, and some seven minutes after the restart he ran on to a Tiago through ball to steer a shot across Ter Stegen and in off the far post. Just three minutes later however Neymar levelled the scores with a well struck free kick, and Messi came on to score the winner after combining with Neymar and Luis Suárez to lift a shot over Oblak with a quarter of an hour to go

Barça go top pending Sunday’s games, and Real Madrid are up to second after thrashing Espanyol 0-6 early in the afternoon, Cristiano Ronaldo scoring no less than five of his side’s goals. The Portuguese striker hadn’t got off the mark this season, but although the hosts had the better of the opening play, Ronaldo ran on to Modric’s long pass to open the scoring with only seven minutes on the clock. With just over a quarter of an hour gone he added a second from the penalty spot after Alvaro bundled over Bale in the area, and three minutes later he completed his second hat-trick in a row in the Cornellà stadium after Bale set him up. Soon afterwards Ronaldo turned provider when he crossed in for Benzema to make it four, and Benzema himself came close to a fifth when he hit the post just before the break. Espanyol were in disarray, and although Keylor Navas had to save from Gerard after the interval, Ronaldo added two more, the first after Bale and Isco combined on a quick counter-attack, and the second after substitute Lucas Vázquez crossed in from right of the area. Rafa Benítez was a happy man.

The other two games on Saturday were decided by a single goal, Valencia beating Sporting Gijón 0-1 thanks to an injury time header by Paco Alcácer. Both teams had chances in the first half, Negredo and Piatti going close for the visitors, and Jony in particular testing Valencia’s fourth choice keeper Jaime Domenech, who was given the nod over Joel following injuries to Diego Alves and Mat Ryan. After the restart Dani Parejo volleyed a shot over the top and Andrés Gomes brought a good save out of Cuéllar, and Domenech made important stops from Bernardo, Pablo Pérez and Luis Hernández. With Sporting lining up a third scoreless draw in a row though Alcácer headed the ball into an empty net after Bakkali lifted a cross over Cuéllar, and Domenech ensured a first win of the season for the Ches with a last gasp save from Tonny Sanabria.

Betis also clocked up their first victory since their return to the top flight, the Andalusians beating Real Sociedad 1-0 in the last game of the evening despite playing over half the match with ten men. Pepe Mel's side had the better of the first half, Petros, Molina and Joaquín going close before Rubén Castro got behind his marker to head Joaquín’s cross down past Rulli. Petros was sent off for a second bookable offence on the stroke of half time, but even so Castro curled a shot just wide soon after the interval. After that though the visitors took control, Elustondo and Agirretxe in particular failing to find the target, and Adán pulling off a point blank save from Bruma. However David Moyes’ team couldn’t make the break-through despite the extra man, and they end the weekend with just two points from their first three games. (12.09.15)

La Liga returned after the short international break, Levante and Sevilla kicking things off with a 1-1 draw on Friday night which left both clubs on two points. The Andalusians dominated the first half, N’Zonzi opening the scoring with a long shot in the eleventh minute after picking up a pass from Llorente. The ex Juventus caused a few problems after that, and Rubén had to be at his best to keep out Vitolo before the break, but a few minutes in to the second half camarasa headed the equalizer after Beto could only push Verza’s shot onto the crossbar. The visiting keeper tipped a shot by José Mari round the post, and Iván López and Ghilas fired shots over the top as the locals pushed their opponents back, although substitute Immobile thought he should have had a penalty near the end when Juanfran blocked his header with his arm inside the area. (11.09.15)