News Archive

Match round-up - First Division, Day 3

Las Palmas moved out of the relegation spots after a 1-2 victory at Málaga on Monday evening. Both teams had lost their two opening games, but the visitors took the lead with a shot in off the post from Jonathan Viera on the stroke of half time. Diego González made it all square with a header from Recio’s free kick a couple of minutes after the restart, but Roberto had to tip a shot by Halilovic on to the crossbar, and soon afterwards Calleri restored the lead after picking up a pass from Ximo Navarro. Borja Bastón headed over at the other end as Michel’s side looked to get back, but Roberto had to save again from Viera and Calleri, and with two minutes to go new signing Loïc Rémy wrapped things up to leave the Andalusians down in next to bottom spot. (11.09.17)

Real Sociedad stay level with Barcelona at the top of the table after a 2-4 victory over Deportivo in the Sunday mid-day game. Juanmi and Illarramendi put the Basque side two up in the first four minutes, the first following a quickly taken free kick, and the second after a corner came out to him. Both goals could have been ruled out for offside though, but with just under half an hour gone Adrián López got one back with a first time shot past Rulli from Schär’s long clearance. To the delight of the crowd, Pepe Mel brought on Lucas Pérez straight after the restart, and just a minute later Andone made it all square after Adrián headed back Juanfran’s long cross. Diego Llorente restored the lead though following a corner with seven minutes to go, and soon afterwards Illarramendi cut across the area to force a shot past Tyton, giving Eusebio’s team their third win in a row.

Athletic Bilbao are up to fourth after they beat Girona 2-0 later in the afternoon. The Catalans were visiting the San Mamés stadium for the first time, and true to tradition team captain Alex Granell presented a bouquet of flowers to the statue of “Pichichi”. Midway through the first half Muniain volleyed the locals in to the lead from a Williams cross, and soon afterwards ex Athletic keeper Iraizoz had to save from Balenziaga. Granell tried his luck a couple of times either side of the break, but a few minutes in to the second half Williams controlled a long clearance from Herrerín to set up Aduríz for the second. Herrerín had to keep out Stuani and Aday after that, but the hosts could have won by a bigger margin had Sabin not hit the post near the end.

Elsewhere there were first points of the season for Celta and Villarreal after both won their respective games. Celta and Alavés came in to their match having lost their two openers, but in the end a fourth goal of the season by Maxi Gómez swung it in favour of the Galicians. The young Uruguayan striker fired a shot just wide after Iago Aspas put him through with less than a minute on the clock, but even so the locals could have gone behind had Sergio Alvarez not saved a couple of times from Bojan. Gómez headed in a Sisto cross though with ten minutes to go to the break, and Jozabed and Aspas both went close soon afterwards. After the restart Wass brushed the upright with a long shot, and Pacheco had to keep out Maxi Gómez again, but Unzué’s team held on for a win which leaves their opponents at the bottom of the table, yet to score a single goal this season.

Villarreal meanwhile had to come from behind before winning 3-1 against Betis in the last match of the evening. It was their first home game of the season in the remodelled Ceramica stadium, and there was an initial disappointment for the home fans when Sergio León headed in a Joaquín cross with only ten minutes gone. A few minutes later though Bacca won the ball of a hesitant Adán to level the scores, and before the break Rodri fired a shot against the upright, and Adán had to save from Samu Castillejo. Tello could have restored the lead for the visitors had Barbosa not kept him out with just under an hour gone, but a couple of minutes later Castillejo curled home a second for the hosts, and with a quarter of an hour to go Enes Ünal ran on to a long ball from Alvaro to make sure of the three points. (10.09.17)

Barcelona top the table pending the rest of the weekend games after a resounding 5-0 victory over city neighbours Espanyol on Saturday evening. Lionel Messi scored two in the first half, the first (in a possible offside position) from Rakitic’s pass, and the second after Jordi Alba set him up. Piatti hit the post at the other end just before the break, but midway through the second half Messi completed his hat-trick after connecting with another assist from Jordi Alba. With three minutes to go Piqué got above Mario Hermoso to head the fourth from a Rakitic corner, and with the game coming to an end Luis Suárez scored the fifth following a cross from Dembélé, who had come on to make his debut a few minutes earlier.

Real Madrid though faltered for the second time in a row, a 1-1 draw against newly promoted Levante in the lunchtime game leaving them already four points adrift of their arch rivals. Ivi gave the visitors an early lead, catching the defence napping to turn an Iván López throw-in past Casilla, and the young forward went close with a free kick soon afterwards. Already missing the suspended Ronaldo, Zidane lost Benzema to an injury in the first half, but soon afterwards Lucas Vázquez made it all square after Raúl Fernández saved a Sergio Ramos header from a Kroos corner. After the interval Bale headed wide a couple of times, Raúl kept out Asensio and Marcelo, and Kroos hit the post with the game in injury time, but as frustrations grew, Marcelo got himself sent off for kicking out at Lerma near the end.

Levante end the day level with their hosts in the table, and Valencia and Atlético Madrid are also on five points after their game ended without goals. With their new stadium not ready until next week, this was Atleti’s third match away from home, but they had the better chances early on, Neto having to save from Correa, and Vietto firing a shot over the top. Pereira and Rodrigo went close in reply before the break, and after the restart Carrasco and Gaitán tested Neto again, and Gabriel Paulista headed a Parejo free kick over the bar. In the end though a point apiece which keeps up both sides’ unbeaten record.

Sevilla are now up to second after they beat Eibar 3-0 later in the evening, the result taking them on to seven points. José Angel went close for the visitors with an early free kick, but otherwise the Andalusians were on top, Ben Yedder hitting the post and Nolito shooting wide before Ganso opened the scoring just after the break. A long effort from José Angel bounced off the crossbar, but with a quarter of an hour to go Ben Yedder got on the end of Sarabia’s cross to make it two, and with the game in injury time Nolito connected with a Corchía centre to complete the scoring. (09.09.17)

Last week’s joint leaders Leganés suffered their first defeat of the season after they lost to Getafe on Friday evening. It was the first meeting ever in the top flight between the two close neighbours from the South of Madrid, and Arambarri got the first goal for the visitors with a long shot shortly before the break. Guerrero made it all square though after Guaita could only push out a couple of shots from Diego Rico some twenty minutes in to the second half, and the striker had a chance to give his team the lead when they were awarded a penalty for a foul by Cala on Gabriel. Guaita saved his spot kick though, and with seven minutes to go substitute Alvaro Jiménez fired home the winner with a shot from outside of the area following a corner. (08.09.17)