News Archive

Match round-up - First Division, Day 9

Athletic Bilbao moved away from danger zone after a 3-0 victory over Sporting Gijón on Monday evening. Ernesto Valverde’s side started the day just one place above the relegation spots, but Susaeta gave them the lead on the half hour mark after Williams passed across following a good team move, and Aduríz made it two shortly before the break after Omar Mascarell gave away a penalty on Williams, the on-form striker knocking in the rebound after Alberto García saved his spot kick. Just a minute in to the second half Aduriz fired a shot against the outside of the post, Beñat’s follw up header cleared by a defender, and some twenty minutes later Aduriz made it three with an angled shot past Alberto after Beñat chipped the ball across to him. The result takes the Basques two points above their opponents in the table. (26.10.15)

Barcelona stay level with Real Madrid at the top of the table after coming from behind to beat Eibar 3-1 on Sunday. The Basque side had not lost away from home this season, and Borja Bastón gave them a surprise lead in the tenth minute after Bravo could only push out a shot from Keko. But within ten minutes Barça were level, Luis Suárez running in to head past Riesgo after Sandro played across a long pass from Busquets. The visiting keeper had to save from Rakitic later in the first half, and Sandro and Neymar went close, and three minutes in to the second half Suárez picked up an assist from Neymar and made himself space to shoot inside the near post. With seven minutes to go the locals were left with ten men after Mascherano was sent off for supposedly insulting a linesman, which could result in a long ban for the Argentinian player, but a couple of minutes later Suárez made sure of the three points, completing his hat-trick with a low shot past Riesgo after controlling another pass from Neymar.

Atlético Madrid are up to third, two points behind the joint leaders, after they won 2-1 against Valencia later in the evening. Jackson Martínez opened the scoring with just over half an hour gone, the striker drilling a shot past Domenech after Mustafi and Anderlan both failed to clear a long punt from Filipe Luis. The visitng keeper had to be at his best to keep out Martínez and Godín soon afterwards, and with five minutes to go to the break Carrasco picked up the ball in his own half and ran on to make it two with a shot from outside of the area. After the interval Martínez, Juanfran and Griezmann could all have added to the lead, but with twenty minutes to go Godín bundled over Mustafi in the area, and Paco Alcácer stepped up to put the Ches back in the game from the penalty spot. Domenech had to save from Juanfran after that, and Fernando Torres headed a good chance wide, but Santi Mina could have saved a point for Nuno’s side had he been able to do more when free on goal near the end.

Villarreal meanwhile stay fifth after they drew 0-0 at Las Palmas, a first point for the Canary Islanders under new coach Quique Setien. Chances were few and far between though, the best coming early on when Areola had to save from Araujo. Bruno headed a Denis Suárez corner over the bar and Samu Castillejo fired a shot well wide, and after the break the visiting keeper saved a Hernán header, and Aythami had a late penalty claim turned down. A valuable point for Las Palmas though against one of the top sides in the division, and they move off bottom spot thanks to a superior goal difference over Granada and Levante.

Levante themselves are now at the foot of the table after losing 0-4 to Real Sociedad in the mid-day game, a defeat which cost the job of coach Lucas Alcaráz, who was fired later in the day. Carlos Vela fired a shot wide before picking up an Agirretxe assist to battle through and score the opener in the eighth minute. Rulli had to keep out Roger a few minutes later, but with ten minutes to go to the break Agirretxe made it two, the striker losing his markers to head Vela’s cross past Rubén. The local keeper had to save a Zurutuza header soon afterwards, and at the other end Roger headed against the bar, and Deyverson came up against Rulli either side of half time. However with eight minutes left on the clock Illarremendi deflected a Chory Castro into the net for the third, and two minutes later Vela chipped in the fourth after Canales and Chory Castro combined to set him up. To add to Levante’s woes Deyverson was sent off after picking up a second booking for diving in the area, and many disgruntled fans left the stadium before the referee finally called it a day. (25.10.15)

The big match on Saturday was between joint leaders Celta and Real Madrid, Rafa Benítez’s side running out 1-3 winners in the Balaidos stadium to move clear at the top pending Barcelona’s match on Sunday. The two teams were undefeated this season, but Ronaldo put the visitors ahead in only the eighth minute after running on to a return Lucas Vázquez pass to shoot past Sergio Alvarez. Keylor Navas had to stop Orellana a few minutes later, but midway through the first half Danilo made it two after Jesé put him through. Navas pulled off a couple of top class saves again before the break from Iago Aspas and Pablo Hernández, but soon after the restart Cabral was sent off for a second bookable offence, and Sergio had to be at his best to keep out Ronaldo twice, and then to tip a shot from Isco onto the bar. Marcelo had to clear off the line from Nolito though soon afterwards, and with five minutes to go Nolito finally beat Navas with an impressive shot in off the crossbar. After that Celta pushed forward, but with the game in injury time Cheryshev crossed in for Marcelo to wrap things up.

It was a bad night for Galicia though, sixth placed Deportivo also losing 2-0 at Málaga in the last match of the evening. The locals got the better start, Charles having a shot blocked and Lux saving from Tighadouni, although Oriol Riera fired a shot against the upright on the half hour mark, and Lucas Pérez and Fede Cartabia went close with long efforts before the break. After the restart Tighadouni headed wide, and Charles had a strike ruled out for offside, and with an hour on the clock Tighadouni opened the scoring with a wide free kick which bounced past everyone into the net, only the second match that the Andalusians have scored in this season. Borges headed over from a corner at the other end, but with five minutes to go Juan Carlos latched on to a loose ball to turn a shot past the visiting keeper and give his team a much needed victory which takes them three points clear of the drop zone pending Sunday’s games.

Sevilla meanwhile appear to have got their season back on track, and they move up into the top half of the table after walloping Getafe 5-0. Guaita had to save from Trémoulinos and Konoplyanka early on, and Konoplyanka hit the post before Gameiro opened the scoring with ten minutes to go to the interval. The visiting keeper kept out Gameiro a couple of times soon afterwards, but with the first half coming to a close Banega played a clever free kick round the defensive wall, and Gameiro was on hand to turn a shot into the roof of the net. The second half though was all about penalties, the Andalusians converting three, and having an appeal for a fourth on Vitolo turned down. Vigaray gave away the first two and got himself sent off after picking up bookings for the fouls on Konoplyanka and Gameiro, Banega firing home the first and Gameiro the second to complete his hat-trick. And with ten minutes to go Konoplyanka also got in on the act with a third spot kick after Wanderson pushed over Mariano in the area.

The Andalusians inch ahead of city neighbours Betis, who were held to a 1-1 draw by regional rivals Granada. Foulquier gave the locals the lead in the third minute, the French full back winning the ball off Westermann and forcing a shot past Adán. The visiting keeper was in action soon afterwards to prevent El-Arabi, Isaac Success and Javi Márquez from adding to the lead, but the visitors had a goal ruled out for offside, and with five minutes to go to the break Rubén Castro equalized from the penalty spot after Rubén Pérez inexplicably handled in the area. Early on in the second half though Rennella cleared a Mainz header off the line with Adán beaten, and Success, Krhin and El-Arabi all failed to covert chances after that as Sandoval’s team pushed forward. It was not to be though, although the point at least takes Granada off the bottom of the table, above Levante and Las Palmas pending their games tomorrow. (24.10.15)

Rayo Vallecano kicked off the week nine round of games with a 3-0 victory over Espanyol which takes them four points clear of the drop zone pending the rest of the weekend fixtures. Both sides hit the woodwork early on, Toño pushing a Víctor Alvarez header onto the crossbar, and Ebert heading against the upright, but with ten minutes to go to the break Trashorras opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Javi Guerra was brought down in the area by Enzo Roco. Caicedo brought another save out of Toño after the restart, but Alvaro had to clear off the line from Lass and Tito, and some twenty minutes into the second half the visitors were left with ten men when Víctor Sánchez picked up a second booking. Rayo took advantage to push forward, substitute Bebé causing a few problems before crossing in for Javi Guerra to score a second, and just two minutes later Guerra made it three with an impressive shot from the edge of the area. With the game coming to a close the Catalans had a chance of a late consolation when Tito blocked Burgui’s shot with his arm in the area, the defender also given a second yellow card for the offence, but Toño guessed correctly and saved Burgui’s spot kick. (23.10.15)