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Match round-up - First Division, Day 3

Four games on Sunday, Sporting Gijón moving up to third in the table after a 2-1 victory over Leganés in the mid-day kick-off. Both teams started the day unbeaten on four points, but with just over a quarter of an hour gone Mantovani failed to clear a Moi Gómez cross, and Duje Cop played the ball back for Nacho Cases to slide in the opener. A few minutes later Serantes had to save from Burgui, and with the first half coming to a close Cop made it two from the penalty spot after Timor brought down Víctor Rodríguez from behind in the area. Up to that point the nearest the visitors had come to scoring was when Gabriel put a couple of efforts past the post, but with just under an hour on the clock Diego Rico got one back, beating Cuéllar with an angled shot after picking up a pass from Omar Ramos. And after that the result was in doubt up to the final whistle, Ramos and Alberto in particular going close for the Madrid based side later on.

Eibar are now sixth after they beat Granada 1-2, the Basque side getting a last gasp winner even though they had to play an hour or so with ten men after keeper Riesgo was sent off for bringing down Ponce outside of the area. Despite that the visitors went ahead shortly before the interval, a long shot from Pedro León taking a wicked bounce to fly over the head of Ochoa and in to the net. The introduction of Alberto Bueno and Kravets by Paco Jémez at half time improved things for the locals, replacement keeper Yoel having to be at his best to save from Bueno soon after the restart. Ochoa was called upon to keep out Gálvez and Fran Rico at the other end, but with a quarter of an hour to go Ponce’s header from a Carcela corner came back off the bar, and Kravets was on hand to force the ball over the line. However with a draw seemingly on the cards Sergi Enrich ran through to steer a shot past Ochoa after a last minute breakaway.

Athletic Bilbao got their first points on the board after a 0-1 win at Deportivo in the last match of the weekend, the result taking the Basque side out of the relegation spots. Valverde gave a first run out to Kepa in goal, and the Spanish under 21 international was in action early on to turn an Andone header round the post. The Romanian striker had another effort deflected for a corner by De Marcos, but Beñat went close with a free kick, and with four minutes to go to the break Raúl García fired in an impressive shot from over 30 metres out which left Lux with no chance of stopping it. Depor lost Joselu and Sidnei to injuries, but even so they had the better chances after the break, Kepa saving well from Andone and Juanfran, and Andone getting the ball in the net late on only for the strike to be ruled out for a dubious offside decision.

Valencia stay in the drop zone though after they lost 2-3 to Betis, their third defeat in a row leaving them joint bottom with Celta. The Ches got off to the better start, Gayà, Santi Mina and Nani bringing good saves out of Adán. However with seven minutes to go to the interval Rubén Castro curled a shot past Diego Alves to give the visitors the lead, and soon after the restart the home side were left with ten men when Enzo Pérez was red carded for a hard tackle on Durmisi. A few minutes later Joaquín ran on to a long ball from Durmisi to make it two, but substitute Munir hit the bar, and Cancelo fired a shot into the side netting before Rodrigo pulled one back. Three minutes later Garay levelled the scores after Adán could only push out a header from Munir, and the visiting keeper had to make further saves from Munir and Rodrigo. However with the game in the second minute of injury time Castro got on the end of Piccini’s centre to give the Andalusians the three points. (11.09.16)

Real Madrid move to the top of the table after a comfortable 5-2 victory over Osasuna on Saturday evening. Ronaldo was back in the side after his injury lay-off following the Euro 2016 final, and with only six minutes gone he got on the end of Bale’s cross to open the scoring. Unai García did head against the bar at the other end, but Nauzet had to save a couple of times from Bale, and with five minutes to go to the break Danilo made it two after the keeper could only block a header from Morata. Either side of half time Ramos and Pepe added two more with headers from Kroos corners, and Modric scored the fifth soon afterwards with a shot from the edge of the area. The visitors did come back after that though as Madrid slackened off, Riera heading in a cross from De las Cuevas, and Oier getting the ball in the net only for the referee to rule that Casilla had given away a penalty on Jaime Romero. The keeper saved the resulting Roberto Torres spot kick, but a couple of minutes later David García headed a second from Romero’s centre. That was about it though as Tano was sent off for a second bookable offence, and Benzema hit the woodwork twice later on. A win which equals the club record of fifteen in a row in the league, and with results elsewhere going their way, Zidane’s side are the only team to take maximum points from the first three weekends.

Last week’s leaders Las Palmas were beaten 2-1 by Sevilla, although the Canary Islanders will feel themselves hard done by as they were actually winning right up until two minutes from the end of normal time. El Zhar had a strike ruled out for offside and Livaja brought a good save out of Sergio Rico before Tana picked up a loose ball outside of the area to fire home the opener on the quarter hour mark. Nasri shot just wide in reply and Ben Yedder came up against ex Sevilla keeper Javi Varas before the break, and after the restart the Andalusians bombarded the visiting goal, Varas saving from Mariano, Vázquez and Sarabia. However with full time approaching Bigas was shown a second yellow card for tripping Vitolo inside of the area, and Sarabia drilled home the resulting penalty. And with the game already past the official three minutes of time added on, Carlos Fernández bundled Sarabia’s corner in to the net to take his team up to second in the table pending Sunday’s games.

The surprise of the evening though was without doubt Barcelona’s 1-2 defeat against Alavés in the Nou Camp. With a busy programme coming up, several players only just returning from international commitments, and Ter Stegen injured, Luis Enrique made no less than seven changes to his starting line up. Other than a couple of wayward efforts by Aleix Vidal though they hardly approached the visiting goal, and Cillessen had to save from Ibai Gómez before Deyverson got on the end of a Kiko Femenía centre to slide the ball past the Dutch keeper. Neymar and Rakitic went inches wide as Barça rallied before the break, and just two minutes after the restart Mathieu got on the end of Neymar’s corner to head the equalizer. The French defender missed the easiest of chances to score a second just minutes later, and Neymar also shot over the top. But some twenty minutes in to the second half Ibai Gómez battled past Vidal to restore the lead, and even with Iniesta, Messi and Luis Suárez on the park, the Catalans were unable to find a way past a well ordered defence.

Elsewhere Atlético Madrid finally got their new campaign out of the starting blocks after they won 0-4 at Celta in the new one o’clock kick-off slot. The Galicians were looking for their first point after defeats in their first two matches, and Bongonda in particular came close to giving them the lead before the break. However Godín headed a couple of corners over the top either side of half time, and some eight minutes in to the second half Koke got on the end of Griezmann’s cross to put Simeone’s team in front. Saúl missed the target a couple of times, Carrasco had a penalty claim turned down and Gameiro hit the outside of the post as the visitors looked to build on their lead. And eventually they got their reward, Griezmann heading in crosses from Saúl and Juanfran to put the result beyond Celta’s reach. Sisto, Pablo Hernández and new signing Guiseppe Rossi all tried their luck after that, but with two minutes to go Correa wrapped things up after Koke stabbed a pass through to him in front of goal. The result leaves the Galicians down at the foot of the table, albeit that they have already had to play Real and Atlético Madrid in their first three games.

Villarreal also recorded their first win of the season, Fran Escribá’s team clocking up a 0-2 victory at Málaga. The locals had the better chances early on, Sergio Asenjo having to save from Recio, Charles and Sandro. However with ten minutes to go to the break Jaume Costa opened the scoring for the visitors after good work by Santos Borré down the right by-line, and soon afterwards they had a chance to go further ahead when Weligton brought Santos down in the area. Kameni saved Bruno’s spot kick, but shortly before the half time whistle Sansone made it two after the local keeper could only push out his first shot. Kameni and Rosales prevented Sansone from scoring again soon after the restart, but after that the locals took control, Recio, Juanpi, Charles and Keko all failing to convert chances, and Miguel Torres having a strike ruled out for offside. Soriano and Cheryshev did go close for Villarreal late on, but by then the three points were already in the bag. (10.09.16)

La Liga returned after the two week international break, Real Sociedad and Espanyol sharing the points in a 1-1 draw on Friday night. Having let in eight goals in the first two matches, Quique Sánchez Flores changed his goalkeeper, new signing Diego López replacing Roberto, and David López and Víctor Sánchez were also drafted in to defence. Chances were few and far between in the first half, the best a header by Iñigo Martínez just wide of the post, but after the restart Illarramendi shot just wide, and Juanmi had a headed goal ruled out for a borderline offside. However with just over an hour gone Piatti picked up a loose ball out side of the area and fired a shot past Rulli to give the Catalans the lead, and a couple of minutes later the local keeper almost carried a Rubén Duarte cross in to his own net. Yuri tested Diego López a few minutes later though, and with twelve minutes to go Willian José got above his marker to head Zaldúa’s centre in to the near top corner of the net. Javi Fuego was sent off for a second bookable offence in injury time, but the game ended seconds later. (09.09.16)