News Archive

Match round-up - First Division, Day 31

Real Sociedad returned to winning ways on Monday evening, a 3-1 victory over Sporting Gijón taking them back up to sixth in the table. The Basque side had only picked up one point from their last four games, but with only three minutes gone Willian José headed them in to the lead from a Xabi Prieto cross, the referee waving away claims from Cuéllar that he had pushed the ball clear before it was fully over the line. Burgui went close a couple of times for the visitors a few minutes later, but with just under half an hour on the clock Juanmi made it two following another Prieto assist. Shortly before the break Yuri saw his shot deflected on to the post by Meré, and after the restart Willian José, Juanmi and Zurutuza all tried their luck before Zurutuza set up Yuri for the third. Elderson did get one back late on for the visitors without knowing too much about it when a shot from Vigerua came off his foot past Rulli, but the Asturians remain in the bottom three, still five points away from safety. (10.04.17)

Eibar took a step closer to their dream of playing in a European competition, a 0-2 victory at Celta on Sunday afternoon taking them up to sixth spot pending Real Sociedad’s game on Monday. With an intense programme of league games this week, and an important Europa League game coming up on Thursday, visiting coach Berizzo put out a much changed line-up. His team went behind though early on when Sergi Enrich headed across a long ball from Iván Ramis for Kike García to score, and to make matters worse Rossi had to go off with what looked like a serious knee injury shortly before the break. Some six minutes in to the second half Pedro León drilled home the second, and although Jozabed and substitute Iago Aspas both hit the bar after that, the Gailicians couldn’t prevent a defeat which leaves them nine points below their hosts in the table.

Later in the evening bottom club Osasuna kept their slim hopes of survival alive with a 2-1 win over Leganés, the defeat leaving the Madrid based side just five points above the drop zone. Siovas put the visitors in front early on after Tito headed on a Szymanowski corner, and Diego Rico hit the bar a few minutes later with a cross-come-shot. However ten minutes before the interval Sergio León made it all square from the penalty spot after Tito brought him down in the area, and with an hour on the clock the striker picked up a lofted pass from Alex Berenguer to beat Herrerín with a shot on the turn. León came close to his hat-trick when he hit the post after that, but he had already done enough to give the Navarrans their second win in a row, and their first at home all season.

Osasuna are now only three points behind Granada, who were beaten 1-3 by Valencia in the mid-day kick-off. Zaza scored twice for the Ches in as many minutes midway through the first half, the first with a header down past Ochoa from Montoya’s cross, and the second from close up after Santi Mina crossed from the left wing. Only a great save by Ochoa stopped the Italian striker from scoring a third, and Mina had a strike ruled out a few minutes later for a borderline offside decision. Some ten minutes in to the second half Mina did get his name on the scoresheet after connecting with a Carlos Soler centre, and a few minutes after that half-time substitute Ponce got one back for the Andalusians after Diego Alves slipped taking a goal-kick, gifting him the ball.

Several teams are still not safe however, including Betis, who lost 4-1 at Las Palmas in the last match of the night to end the day nine points above the relegation zone pending Sporting’s match on Sunday. Víctor Gómez gave the Canary Islanders the lead after Boateng headed over a free kick just before the break, and Boateng himself made it two following a Jesé assist soon after the restart, Adán getting a hand to his shot but unable to stop the ball from going in off the post. With an hour gone Jonathan Viera got the third following a good run which ended in a carbon copy of Boateng’s strike. And Jesé made it four from the penalty spot after Pezzella brought him down before Rafa Navarro netted a late consolation for the visitors. A good result for Setien’s side though, and they are now fairly sure of another season in the top flight. (09.04.17)

Surprises on Saturday, with the top two both failing to win. Leaders Real Madrid appeared to have allowed Barcelona back in to the title race after they were held to a 1-1 draw by city rivals Atlético Madrid in the afternoon kick-off, but Barça’s defeat at Málaga later in the evening meant that they open up a four point gap at the top over the Catalans with a game in hand. Zidane’s side had the better chances early on, Oblak making important saves from Ronaldo and Benzema, and Savic heading a shot from Ronaldo off the line with the keeper beaten. Before the break Keylor Navas had to push a long shot from Griezmann round the post, but some seven minutes in to the second half Pepe got on the end of a wide Kroos free kick to head in the opening goal. Fernando Torres came up against Navas though when free on goal a few minutes later, and with five minutes to go Griezmann latched on to Correa’s through ball to save a point for Simeone’s side.

Barcelona failed to take advantage however, a 2-0 defeat at Málaga in the last match of the evening leaving their fate in the hands of their arch-rivals. Kameni had to keep out Luis Suárez early on but, with half an hour on the clock, ex Barça striker Sandro ran on to long pass from Juan Carlos to put the Andalusians ahead. Luis Enrique brought on Iniesta and Sergi Roberto at the break, but Juanpi could have scored a second when he shot straight at Ter Stegen when free on goal, and the visitors were left with ten men when Neymar was shown a second yellow card by Gil Manzano for a foul on Llorente a few minutes later. Soon afterwards substitute Peñaranda had a strike ruled out for a questionable offside decision, and Sergi Roberto also felt himself hard done by when he was brought down in the area, the referee awarding a free kick rather than a penalty. Luis Enrique threw everything forward as the clock ticked down, but with the game in injury time Jony wrapped things up for Michel’s side on a quick breakaway. A major blow for the visitors, but they have to pick themselves up for Tuesday night’s Champions League tie at Juventus.

Fourth placed Sevilla moved to within a point of Atlético after they beat Deportivo 4-2, the result ending a run of five games without a win. The match got off to an electic start, Jovetic putting the Andalusians ahead in the first minute, and Sarabia restoring the lead some eight minutes later after Kakuta had made it all square. Midway through the first half Kakuta beat Sergio Rico with a well struck free kick to level it once again, but some seven minutes later Joaquín Correa headed in a wide Sarabia free kick to put the Andalusians back in front. Franco Vázquez hit the post before the break, Jovetic turning the rebound wide, but after the interval things slowed down, and it was not until two minutes from the end that Ben Yedder controlled a long Escudero free kick to make sure of the win.

Espanyol kept up their push for one of the European spots with a 1-0 victory over Alavés in the lunchtime kick-off, the Catalans ending the day just four points below the top six pending the rest of the weekend games. Camarasa volleyed a shot over the bar for the visitors early on, but Pacheco had to save from Gerard Moreno, and Piatti, Jurado and Moreno went close either side of the break. Some ten minutes in to the second half Piatti got what was to prove the only goal of the game after David López played on a Víctor Sánchez free kick, and Leo Baptistao brought a late save out of the visiting keeper after coming on for his first appearance following a four month injury lay-off. (08.04.17)

Villarreal consolidated fifth spot after a 3-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao on Friday evening. Fran Escribá’s side started the match a point ahead of their opponents in the table, and they went in front with just over a quarter of an hour gone when Víctor Ruíz turned the ball back past Kepa after Yeray had deflected a Samu Castillejo free kick on to his own post. Just three minutes later though Laporte drilled home the equalizer from a long Beñat corner, and with the first half coming to a close Aduríz headed against the crossbar. Just two minutes after the restart however Bakambu ran through to restore the lead, and some ten minutes later Adrián López headed a third after Víctor Ruíz headed across a long Trigueros free kick. Aduríz rattled the bar again and the visitors were left with ten men when Ruíz was red-carded for a bad tackle on Williams, but Andrés and his defence held on for a win which takes them to within four points of fourth placed Sevilla. (07.04.17)