News Archive

Match round-up - First Division, Day 14

Deportivo climb back out of the drop zone after a 5-1 victory over Real Sociedad on Monday evening! Results earlier in the weekend had left the Galicians down in the bottom three with coach Gaizka Garitano’s job hanging by a thread. But by half time they were already three up, Andone going close a couple of times before Sidnei got the opener following a corner. With half an hour gone Iñigo Martínez turned an Andone cross in to his own net trying to clear, and Andone himself added the third after connecting with a cross from Juanfran just before the break. Some twelve minutes in to the second half Yuri put the visitors back in the game with a low shot past Tyton after Canales laid the ball back to him, but Ryan Babel fired a shot inches wide before the locals were awarded a penalty for a foul by Iñigo Martínez on Albentosa. Rulli managed to save Babel’s spot kick, but the Dutch forward reacted quicker than anyone to turn the ball back in to the net. A quarter of an hour later Andone intercepted a Yuri back pass to score the fifth, and Real’s miserable night was summed up when a shot from Willian José hit the bar and the post before rolling across the goal-line and out. (05.12.16)

Athletic Bilbao are back up to seventh after a 3-1 victory over Eibar on Sunday afternoon. Valverde was missing his two top goalscorers, Aduríz and Raúl García both suspended, but his team went two up with a Beñat free kick and a long run by Williams either side of half time. Inui brought a good save out of Kepa though a few minutes later, and with twenty minutes to go the Japanese midfielder headed back a long Pedro León cross for Sergi Enrich to head one back. Soon afterwards Kepa had to keep out Inui again, but Williams went close with a near carbon-copy of his goal, and with the game in time added on Muniain wrapped things up after connecting with a cross from young debutant Villalibre.

Celta are now level with Eibar in ninth place after a high scoring 3-3 draw at Betis in the mid-day game. Iago Aspas connected with a fierce cross from Daniel Wass to give the Galicians the lead on the quarter hour mark, and Wass tested Adán a few minutes later. With four minutes to go to the break however Rubén Castro levelled the scores from the penalty spot after Fontàs bundled over Petros in the area, and Castro hit the post before putting Sanabria through to score a second soon after the restart. Aspas made it all square again after poking Bongonda’s cross past Adán, and although Pezzella put the Andalusians back in front with a powerful header from Joaquín’s corner, Roncaglia saved a point for the visitors with another header from a Wass corner. Betis ended with ten men when Petros was sent off after picking up a second booking in injury time.

Alavés and Las Palmas end the weekend in mid-table after they drew 1-1 later in the day, probably an inevitable result given that the two teams have poor records this season at home and away respectively. Alexis opened the scoring for the locals after connecting with a Theo Hernández cross in the fourth minute, and Ibai Gómez fired a free kick just wide a few minutes later. Jonathan Viera fired a long shot over the top before the break however, and some twelve minutes in to the second half Livaja turned in a cross from Hélder Lopes, his first goal since the two he scored on the opening day of the new campaign. Deyverson and Viera both wasted chances after that, and the home fans expressed their disgust at the end having not seen their team win in the Mendizorroza stadium since the last week of September.

Málaga stay level with Las Palmas in eleventh place after a last gasp 2-2 draw at Valencia, the result leaving the Ches just two points off the relegation zone. The Andalusians took the lead in the third minute, Pablo Fornals volleying a first time shot past Diego Alves after a shot from Ontiveros looped up off a defender. Four minutes later though Rodrigo headed the equalizer from a Dani Parejo free kick, and debutant keeper Boyko had to be on his toes to save a Munir header later on in the first half. Shortly before the break Alvaro Medrán fired the home side in front after a Dani Parejo cross was deflected to him, but after the break the visitors were on top, Camacho, Jony and Ontiveros all failing to find the target, and Alves having to save from a Juanpi free kick. It looked however as if Prandelli’s side were heading towards a much needed win until the third and final minute of injury time, when Fornals drilled the ball past the local keeper after El-Nesyri laid back a ball in to the area from Camacho.

Sporting Gijón moved out of the relegation zone after beating bottom club Osasuna 3-1, the result leaving Deportivo in the bottom three pending their game on Monday. Both teams had lost their cup ties midweek, and there were chances at both ends before Carmona ran in to head a long Amorebieta centre past Nauzet with two minutes to go to the break. Caparrós brought on Sergio León at half time, and he fired a shot just wide at the start of the second half. Soon afterwards though Douglas made it two after picking up a square pass from Moi Gómez, and Nauzet had to be at his best to keep out Isma López before Carmona chipped a shot over the keeper for his side’s third. Miguel Flaño did get one back from Alex Berenguer’s cross after that, and Berenguer himself hit the bar in the dying moments, but it .all came too late to make any difference. (04.12.16)

Real Madrid stay six points clear at the top of the table after holding Barcelona to a 1-1 draw in the latest “clásico” on Saturday afternoon! Referee Clos Gómez turned down no less than six penalty appeals in the first half (three on each side), but otherwise it was a tense first 45 minutes, with only a couple of half-chances at each end, Messi testing Keylor Navas with a free kick and Ronaldo bringing a couple of saves out of Ter Stegen. Some eight minutes in to the second half though Luis Suárez headed in a wide Neymar free kick to open the scoring, and Neymar and Messi fired good chances wide of the mark a few minutes later. Sergio Ramos and Ronaldo went close with headers though, and in the last minute of normal time Ramos headed the equalizer from a Modric free kick. Casemiro still had to head an effort from Sergi Roberto off the line in injury time, but Zidane’s side held on to make it 33 games now without defeat.

Barcelona stay in second place though after their closest rivals Sevilla lost 2-1 at Granada earlier in the day. The locals began the day at the foot of the table without a single win in the league. However a midweek victory in the cup against Osasuna had restored some confidence, and with just under half an hour gone Andreas Pereira put them ahead after connecting with a cross from Boga. Joaquín Correa headed over the bar, and Lombán headed an effort from Mariano off the line with the keeper beaten shortly before the break, but some ten minutes in to the second half Lombán made it two after Kravets headed on a Pereira corner. The visitors came back though, Ochoa having to save from Vietto and Franco Vázquez, and with the game in the fifth minute of injury time Ben Yedder got one back from the penalty spot after Lombán pulled him down in the area. The final whistle went seconds later though, and Granada were off the bottom pending Osasuna’s match on Sunday.

Fourth placed Atlético Madrid missed out on a chance to close the gap on the top three however after they were held to a 0-0 draw by Espanyol. The Catalans had gone seven matches without defeat, the last four without letting in a single goal, and a well ordered defence kept the Atleti strikers at bay. Diego López only had a couple of comfortable saves to make from Gabi and Gameiro in the first half, and Oblak had to be at his best at the other end to keep out Gerard Moreno and Leo Baptistao following quick breakaways either side of half time. López was in action later on to stop a couple of efforts from Gabi and Griezmann, and Giménez headed another chance wide, but in the end both coaches settled for a point.

The match between Leganés and Villarreal also ended goal-less, leaving Fran Escribá’s side still two points below Atlético in the table, and their hosts five points above the drop zone pending the rest of the weekend games. Herrerín had been signed midweek as an emergency replacement for the injured Serantes, and the Athletic keeper was drafted straight in to the starting line-up, saving from Roberto Soriano and Samu Castillejo either side of half time. Otherwise though the better chances fell to the locals, Sergio Asenjo keeping out Mantovani and Alberto Martín before the break, and Gabriel after the restart. Machís and Unai López both went close as well, and Herrerín pulled off another good save from Santos Borré late on to ensure the draw. (03.12.16)