News Archive

Match round-up - First Division, Day 25

Sevilla are serious contenders for the title this year, and they kept up pace with the two leaders after a 1-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao on Thursday. Iborra got the only goal on the quarter hour mark, following up after Iraizoz saved a Jovetic penalty, given away by Etxeita on Vietto. However the visitors were on top for the rest of the first half, Raúl García heading against the post, and Williams and San José going close. Both teams had chances after the restart, Sergio Rico having to save from Raúl García and San José, and Iborra, Mariano and Nasri all failing to find the target, but in the end the scoreline remained unmoved.

The Andalusians have opened up a nine point gap over fourth placed Atlético Madrid, who were held to a 1-1 draw at Deportivo earlier in the evening. Andone took advantage of a poor clearance by Oblak to open the scoring early on, but the keeper made up for his mistake in part with a good save from Mosquera before the break. After the interval Filipe Luis hit the post before Griezmann fired home an impressive equalizer, and only a great save by Lux prevented Fernando Torres from scoring a second. However with the game coming to a close Torres was knocked unconscious after hitting his head on the ground following a clash with Alex Bergantiños and, after a long delay to attend the striker, the remaining minutes were played out in stunned silence. Torres was rushed to hospital, but in the end there appeared to be no serious damage, and he is expected to be back on his feet very soon. (02.03.17)

Another thrilling round of fixtures on Wednesday, with no less than 25 goals from the five games. Barcelona moved to the top of the table after a comfortable 6-1 victory over Sporting Gijón, Messi heading the opening goal from Mascherano’s centre in only the ninth minute. Two minutes later Luis Suárez made it two with a shot from a wide angled which went in off Juan Rodríguez, and although Carlos Castro got one back, Luis Suárez volleyed home the third after Babín could only head a Rakitic cross in to his path. The striker was replaced by Paco Alcácer at the break, and his replacement Paco Alcácer only took three minutes to get his name on the scoresheet after Messi set him up. Messi himself was then rested soon afterwards, but Neymar fired in a free kick for the fifth, and Rakitic completed the scoring after picking up a return pass from Sergi Roberto. A big defeat for Rubi’s side, but one that they didn’t expect to win anyway, the coach having rested several of his key players for the weekend clash with Deportivo. After the game ended though there was bit of a surprise when Luis Enrique announced that he would be stepping down this summer, and the press was full of names of possible replacements, Valverde and Sampaoli the early front runners.

Real Madrid drop to second, albeit with a game in hand, after they were held to a 3-3 draw by Las Palmas later in the evening. Isco gave his team an early lead after Kovacic put him through, but just two minutes later Tana made it all square with an angled shot past Keylor Navas. And although Morata had a strike ruled out for offside soon afterwards, the Canary Islanders had the better chances for the rest of the first half, Jesé and Boateng in particular going close. Just two minutes after the restart Madrid were left with ten men when Bale was sent off for pushing over Jonathan Viera and Viera himself converted a penalty a few minutes later after Sergio Ramos blocked a David Simón shot with his arms. With an hour on the clock Boateng made it three on a rapid count-attack, and Jesé could have added a fourth had Navas not kept him out minutes later. Ramos hit the bar though and Morata had another goal disallowed for offside, and with four minutes to go Ronaldo got one back with a second penalty after Simón handled in the area. Zidane thre everyone forward, and with the game coming to an end Ronaldo got on the end of a James centre to head in a last gasp equalizer.

Villarreal held on to sixth spot for another few days at least after a 1-4 win against bottom club Osasuna. Roberto Soriano gave the visitors the lead in the second minute, following up after Sirigu deflected a Bakambu’s shot from a wide angle on to the upright. Vujadinovic headed a long free kick against the bar at the other end, but soon afterwards Alex Berenguer pulled down Soriano in the area, and although Sirigu saved Soldado’s first spot kick, the striker converted his second after the referee ordered a retake for encroachment. Some twenty minutes in to the second half Roberto Torres got one back with another penalty after Musacchio tripped up Sergio León, but Santos Borré came on to help himself to a brace within ten minutes of making his appearance, and Jonathan Dos Santos could have added a fifth when he hit the woodwork late on.

Celta and Espanyol are still in the running for the European spots, although they dropped further behind Villarreal after cancelling each other out in a 2-2 draw. All the goals came in a ten minute period in the middle of the first half, Iago Aspas starting things off with a well struck free kick. Gerard Moreno headed the equalizer though from Piatti’s corner, and although Daniel Wass restored the lead with an impressive shot from outside of the area, Piatti made it all square again after Caicedo headed over a long cross from the right wing. With half time approaching the locals were left with ten men when Fontàs was sent off for a second bookable offence, but even so the Galicians came closer to scoring after the interval, Aspas in particular bringing a couple of good saves out of Diego López.

Alavés are now two points below Celta after they lost 2-1 at Granada, a third home win in a row for the Andalusians taking them to within two points of safety. Lucas Alcaráz’s side went ahead with a strike by Wakaso following a long throw-in from Héctor, and a few minutes in to the second half the action was repeated, this time Isaac Cuenca the scorer. Some four minutes later though Camarasa scrambled the ball past Ochoa after the keeper saved his first header from an Oscar Romero cross, and although Adrián Ramos hit the bar for the locals, Camarasa should have saved a point for the visitors had referee Iglesias Villanueva not ruled out his strike for a non-existent offside. Nerves frayed after that, and Katai and Alexis were both sent off by Iglesias in injury time. (01.03.17)

A mid-week round of league games this week, neighbours Real Sociedad and Eibar kicking things off with a 2-2 draw on a rainy Tuesday evening. The locals took the lead twice, Juanmi heading the opener from an Odriozola cross with a quarter of an hour gone. Rulli had to save from Pedro León soon afterwards though, and from the resulting corner Escalante headed the equalizer. Both teams were left with ten men when Lejeune and then Juanmi picked up second yellow cards, and midway through the second half Carlos Vela put Eusebio’s side back in front from the penalty spot after Yoel brought down Iñigo Martínez in the area. However with the game in the third and final minute of injury time an Arbilla centre came back off a defender, and Pedro León drilled a shot under Rulli to save a point which leaves the two teams in fifth and seventh place respectively.

Later in the evening Valencia beat Leganés 1-0 to move up safely to mid-table and leave their opponents just four points above the drop zone pending the remaining games. Zaza went close a couple of times early on and on the half hour mark Herrerín had to tip a Dani Parejo free kick over the bar, Mangala poking the ball in to the net from the resulting corner after the keeper had pushed his header on to the post. Herrerin had to save a couple of times from Carlos Soler after that, and Enzo Pérez fired a shot against the top of the crossbar near the end. Diego Alves was hardly troubled though, and the visitors ended with ten men when Alberto Martín picked up a second booking with ten minutes to go.

Elsewhere Betis came from behind to beat neighbours Málaga 1-2 in the Rosaleda stadium. Adán had to save a header from Camacho before Pablo Fornals intercepted a poor Tosca back pass to put the home team ahead shortly before the break. Three minutes after the restart though Jonas Martin ran on to a Brasanac through ball to make it all square, and a few minutes later Sanabria scored the second after Demichelis could only head a long clearance in to his path. Jony and Charles wasted chances to level it for the locals however, and Tosca almost put the ball through his own net late on, but Víctor’s side held on for a win which takes them above their hosts in the table. (28.02.17)