News Archive

Match round-up - First Division, Day 27

Bottom club Osasuna are now fifteen points away from safety after they drew 1-1 with Eibar on Monday evening! The only game that the Pamplona based side had won since being promoted was against their neighbours half a season ago, but they were over-run in the first half, Sirigu having to save from Arbilla, Sergi Enrich and Inui before the break. With twenty minutes to go substitute Kike García put the visitors ahead just seconds after coming on, and although Kodro got on the end of a Jaime Romero cross to equalize ten minutes later, Eibar keeper Yoel made sure of the final result with important saves from Raoul Loé and Roberto Torres late on. (13.03.17)

Real Madrid moved back to the top of the table after a 2-1 victory over Betis on Sunday evening. Zidane made several changes to his line-up following Tuesday’s Champions League game, and Morata, James and Isco all missed chances early on. Keylor Navas was lucky to stay on the park though when he raced out of his area and brought down Brasanac as he advanced on goal, and a few minutes later the keeper could only fumble the ball in to his own net after he stopped a long shot from Sanabria. With four minutes to go to the break however Ronaldo levelled the scores with a header from Marcelo’s cross, and after the interval the Portuguese striker got the ball in the net only to be pulled up for the tightest of offside decisions. Later on in the second half the Andalusians were left with ten men when Piccini was shown a second yellow card, and three minutes later Sergio Ramos (who was the hero against Napoli midweek) ran in to head a Kroos corner past Adán for the winner.

With a game still in hand, Madrid are now two points above Barcelona, who were beaten 2-1 at Deportivo earlier in the evening. Luis Enrique’s side were on a high after their epic come-back against Paris Saint Germain on Wednesday, but without the injured Neymar they were unable to make many inroads in to a well ordered defence. Ter Stegen had to save from Bruno Gama and Joselu in the opening minutes, and some five minutes before the break Joselu opened the scoring after Mascherano and the keeper were unable to clear a Fayçal Fajr corner. Soon after the restart Luis Suárez equalized after André Gomes played back a Denis Suárez centre, but with a quarter of an hour to go the referee erroneously gave a corner to the hosts after a header from Arribas hit the post, and Alex Bergantiños got on the end of Çolak’s kick to head in the winner. Lux did have to save from Luis Suárez later on, but Fajr should also have wrapped things up when free on goal, Ter Stegen keeping out his first shot and Jordi Albar clearing the follow up off the line. A great result for Pepe Mel’s side, who are now eight points clear of the drop zone.

Villarreal are up to fifth after they beat Celta 0-1, the result taking Fran Escribá’s team above Real Sociedad on goal difference. In the middle of a Europa League tie with Krasnodar, Berizzo rested several key players for this match. Both keepers were in action in the first half, Andrés saving from Rossi and Sergio Alvarez keeping out Roberto Soriano. With half time approaching though Jonathan Dos Santos floated in a free kick, and Musacchio’s header came off the head of Soldado and in to the net without the striker knowing much about it. Planas and Rossi had efforts blocked after the restart, and the locals had a couple of penalty appeals turned down, but the visitors held on for an important win.

Real Sociedad themselves lost 0-2 to neighbours Athletic Bilbao in the mid-day kick-off, the visitors themselves now back in the running for the European spots after closing to within four points of their arch-rivals in the table. Valverde’s team had the better of the opening minutes, Rulli having to save from Williams and Raúl García before Xabi Prieto tripped Yeray in the area, Raúl García firing home the resulting penalty. Kepa had to save from Juanmi before the break, but some ten minutes in to the second half Williams intercepted a poor back pass by Odriozola to make it two. Jon Bautista headed wide, Raúl Navas had a headed goal ruled out for a previous foul and Iñigo Martínez headed a corner against the bar as the locals tried to get back in the game, but Aduríz could have increased the lead when he fired a shot against the upright with the keeper beaten. (12.03.17)

A set-back for third placed Sevilla on Saturday, the Andalusians staying below the top two pending their games on Sunday after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Leganés. Gabriel gave the Madrid based team an early lead with a clever back-heel flick from El Zhar’s cross, and El Zhar himself came close to a second when his lob just cleared the crossbar soon afterwards. Later in the first half though Franco Vázquez chested Correa’s centre in to the net only to see the strike rulrf out for a borderline offside, and with half time approaching Jovetic levelled the scores after a quick passing move with Vázquez. Sampaoli had reserved several players for Tuesday’s European tie at Leicester, but he made two changes at the break, and Jovetic went close soon after the restart. However the visitors came closest to scoring after that, Guerrero in particular volleying a shot just wide, and Luciano Neves lifting a long shot over the bar when free on goal later on.

Sevilla visit fourth placed Atlético next weekend (after both have played midweek their Champions League ties), and Simeone’s side closed the gap on them to five points after a 0-1 victory at Granada later in the evening. The locals had won their last three home games, and Oblak had some work to do early on. Carrasco had a strike ruled out for offside though, and Griezmann headed just wide later on in the first half, and after the restart only a string of saves by Ochoa from Gaitán, Carrasco and Correa prevented the visitors from taking the lead. Granada’s best effort was a shot by Adrián Ramos straight at the keeper, and with six minutes to go Griezmann headed in Koke’s centre to give his team the three points. Correa could have added a second after that, and the Andalusians ended with ten men when Wakaso was sent off for a second bookable offence in injury time.

Granada stay in the drop zone, a point now above Sporting Gijón, who drew 1-1 at Valencia in the lunchtime game. Zaza and Orellana both failed to convert chances before the break, and some ten minutes in to the second half Cuéllar saved a Dani Parejo penalty after Mikel Vesga barged over Gayà in the area. Five minutes later the visitors went in front, Duje Cop drilling the rebound past Diego Alves after the keeper could only push out a shot from Burgui, and the keeper had to be at his best to save from Sergio Alvarez a few minutes later. Zaza tested Cuéllar a couple of times at the other end though, and with seven minutes remaining Munir got on the end of a long centre from Carcelo to head in the equalizer.

The bottom three are some five points adrift of the rest, although several teams are still not safe, including Málaga, who lost 1-2 at home to Alavés. Michel was in charge of the Andalusians for the first time after Gato Romero was sacked earlier in the week, but he saw his new side go behind after Demichelis and Kameni gave away an unnecessary corner, Laguardia heading the ball down for Feddal to turn a shot past the keeper. After the restart Pacheco did well to keep out Chory Castro, and Sandro hit the post before Juan Carlos latched on to a Charles through ball to make it all square. Soon afterwards the visitors were left with ten men when Feddal picked up a second booking but, with a draw seemingly on the cards, Edgar picked up an assist from Deyverson following another mistake by Demichelis to score an injury time winner. (11.03.17)

A high-scoring match to start of the latest round of games, Espanyol beating Las Palmas 4-3 on Friday night to move to within two points of the European spots. David López headed the Catalans in to the lead from Piatti’s corner in the first minute, and although Lemos equalized with a long shot which bounced past Diego López, Gerard Moreno put the locals back in front on the stroke of half time. Lemos made it all square again after the break with a header from a Jonathan Viera free kick, but Piatti converted a penalty after Lizoain brought down Caicedo, and Jurado ran through to make it four after Moreno put him through. With six minutes to go however Mateo García turned in a Halilovic centre, and there were some nervous moments for the home fans before the final whistle. (10.03.17)