News Archive

Match round-up - First Division, Day 7

None of the top six sides were able to win this weekend, and as a result Villarreal remain in first place despite losing 1-0 at neighbours Levante on Sunday evening. The hosts began the day at the foot of the table, but it appeared that they were the higher ranked of the two teams as they dominated play for much of the match. Once again Marcelino made several changes to his line up after Thursday night’s Europa Cup game, and they could have gone behind when Feddal headed a good chance over, and Roger brought a couple of good saves out of Areola. With ten minutes to go to the break the visitors were left with ten men when Jokic was sent off after picking up a second booking for a tackle which took Iván López out of the fray, and Areola had to make further stops from Roger, Deyverson and Camarasa either side of half time to keep the scoreline unmoved. Levante went ahead though with seven minutes to go when Deyverson connected with a Ghilas cross to fire a spaectacular volley past the visiting keeper, and although Trigueros and Mario finally tested Rubén, Ghilas could have increased the lead had he been able to find the net on quick breakaway near the end.

Later in the evening Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid cancelled each other out in a 1-1 draw which kept Rafa Benítez’s team in second place, with Atleti two points below them in fifth. Benzema got free of his markers to head in a Dani Carvajal cross and open the scoring in only the ninth minute, but otherwise the locals were on top, Correa in particular just missing the target a couple of times. With just over twenty minutes gone Keylor Navas saved a Griezmann penalty after Sergio Ramos brought down Tiago inside the area, and although Ronaldo went close a couple of times before the break, Correa and Carrasco could have levelled the scores after the restart. Substitute Vietto also headed a long cross wide of the mark, and with six minutes left on the clock the ex Villarreal striker got his first goal for his new club, turning the ball in from close up after Griezmann flicked on a Jackson Martínez cross. And Simeone’s side could have won it in the end had Navas not pulled off another first class save from Jackson with the game already in time added on.

Betis closed in on the European spots after they won 0-2 at Rayo Vallecano in this Sunday’s mid-day game. The Andalusians started well, Rennella bringing a good save out of Toño before Westermann emulated his fellow countryman Beckenbauer, winning the ball in defence and running on to combine with Rubén Castro to open the scoring in the twentieth minute. Adán had to save from Javi Guerra and Bebé either side of the interval, but with just over an hour gone Rubén made it two after good work by Cejudo on the edge of the area. Joaquín could have added a third when his shot came back off the post, Rubén failing to reach the ball as it bounced across the goal line, and at the other end Adán kept out Lass a couple of times, and Westermann blocked an over head kick from Javi Gerra with the keeper beaten. A second away win in a row though for Pepe Mel’s side, and they ended the day four points clear of their hosts in the table.

Athletic Bilbao climbed out of the drop zone after they came back from behind to beat Valencia 3-1. Both teams had played European ties midweek, but the Ches were the fresher of the two, and André Gomes and Feghouli brought good saves out of Iraizoz before Dani Parejo opened the scoring with a well struck free kick. Laporte made it all square though with a far post header after Negredo could only head back a Beñat corner, and Williams came close to second when he shot wide across goal shortly before the break. Negredo wasted a chance to put the visitors back in front after the restart, but with an hour on the clock Aduríz picked up a long Iraizoz clearance to set up Susaeta to score, and less than ten minutes later Raúl García put Aduríz away for him to turn a shot back past Jaume Domenech for the third. (04.10.15)

A second away defeat in a row for Barcelona, Luis Enrique’s side losing 2-1 at Sevilla in the first match on Saturday afternoon. Both teams had played Champions League ties midweek, and the game got off to a lively start, Neymar and Gameiro bringing early saves out of Sergio Rico and Claudio Bravo, who was returning after an injury lay-off. Midway through the first half a Neymar free kick hit the post and came back off Rico across the goal line, Piqué just failing to reach the ball, and Luis Suárez turning a shot against the outside of the other upright. Suárez lobbed another shot against the crossbar before the break, but some seven minutes in to the second half Krohn-Dehli latched on to a Gameiro cross to give the locals the lead. Gameiro came close to a second soon afterwards, and with just under an hour gone Iborra got on the end of a Krohn-Dehli centre to head the ball past Bravo. Neymar pulled one back from the penalty spot after Sandro’s shot hit Trémoulinas on the arm on the edge of the area, and Sandro himself came close to saving a point when he hit the bar late on. However the Andalusians held on for a second win in a row which takes them safely up to mid-table, a first ever win for coach Unai Emery after 20 previous games in charge against the Catalans, and some revenge for the European Super Cup defeat at the start of the season.

Later in the evening Deportivo consolidated sixth spot with a 1-1 draw at Granada. Lux had to make an early save from Javi Márquez, but otherwise the Galicians were on top, Fayçal Fajr, Jonathan Rodríguez and Luis Alberto all going close before Fajr volleyed a shot past Andrés to open the scoring midway through the first half. The local keeper had to save from Luis Alberto soon after the restart, and Jonathan missed an easy chance, but half time substitute Piti fired a long shot against the post, and soon afterwards he made it all square with a first time shot after connecting with a cross from Robert Ibáñez. The result ended a run of four defeats in a row for the Andalusians, although they have yet to win at home this season, and they ended the day in next to bottom spot pending Levante’s game on Sunday.

Eibar are now level with Depor on points after they won 0-2 at Las Palmas, and like the Galicians they have yet to lose away from home this season. The Basque side got off to a good start, Adrián González hitting the bar before Saúl Berjón got on the end of a long Juncà cross to score the opener. Araujo and Viera shot wide in reply, and either side of half time Riesgo had to make saves from Roque Mesa. However with an hour on the clock Borja Bastón controlled another Juncà centre on his chest to beat Javi Varas with a shot on the turn, and Berjón and Keko both had chances to increase the lead later on.

Espanyol lost ground on the teams vying for the European spots though after they were beaten 1-2 by Sporting Gijón, and they stay in ninth spot pending Sunday’s games. The Catalans found themselves behind early on, Halilovic picking up a loose ball after Lora tackled Víctor Alvarez and firing a long shot over Pau López. Caicedo wasted a good chance to equalize when his penalty kick was saved by Alberto after Bernardo had brought him down in the area on the half hour mark, and the keeper also made good stops from Arbilla and Alvárez either side of half time. Sanabria hit the bar at the other end after the restart, but with just over an hour gone Caicedo made up for his mistake, getting on the end of Duarte’s cross to make it all square. However with the game already in injury time Alex Menéndez picked up a Pablo Pérez centre to fire home the winner for the Asturians, who are now just a point behind their hosts in the table.

Elsewhere Málaga got their first victory of the new campaign, Xavi Gracia’s side beating Real Sociedad 3-1 in the last game of the evening. The Andalusians had not scored all season, but Charles struck twice in the first seven minutes, the first with an acrobatic shot after controlling a cross from Recio, and the second after Iñigo Martínez allowed a long Kameni clearance to run through to him in front of goal. Agirretxe got in front of the local keeper to head one back soon afterwards from Zurutuza’s cross, and the striker almost levelled it when he lobbed a shot against the bar shortly before the break. De la Bella almost put through his own net and Kameni had to save from Agirretxe after the restart, but although Tissone got himself sent off for a second bookable offence with twenty minutes to go, Charles latched on to a loose ball in the area to complete his hat-trick with a minute to go. (03.10.15)

Celta missed out on a chance to move to the top of the table after they were held to a 0-0 draw by Getafe in the Friday evening game. The Galicians were the better side for most of the match, Iago Aspas hitting the outside of the post early on, and Guaita having to make a string of saves from Aspas, Orellana and Nolito, and later on from Guidetti. The visitors hardly tested Sergio Alvarez all night, although they almost snatched a win when Scepovic headed against the bar with twenty minutes to go. The result takes Celta up to second spot, and leaves Getafe in eleventh place pending the rest of the weekend games. (02.10.15)