News Archive

Match round-up - First Division, Day 7

Barcelona extended their lead at the top to five points after they beat Las Palmas 3-0 on Sunday afternoon. The match was eventually played behind closed doors due to security concerns on the day of the controversial Catalan referendum, and as always Messi stepped up to the plate, floating in a corner soon after the restart for Busquets to head the opener, and then adding two more later on. Calleri did hit the post before all of that, but it was a first defeat for new coach Pako Ayestarán, who took over from Manuel Márquez a few days ago.

Valencia are now third, a 3-2 victory over Athletic Bilbao taking them above Atlético on goal difference. A Zaza strike from Gayà’s cross, and a Parejo penalty for a foul by Kepa on Rodrigo, put the Ches two up at the break. Half time substitute Aduríz got one back, but Rodrigo headed a third before Raúl García completed the scoring later on.

Real Madrid stay a point behind Valencia in fifth spot after a 2-0 win over Espanyol in the last match of the weekend, a first home win in the league this season for Zidane’s side. Isco scored both the goals, the first from Ronaldo’s pass on the half hour mark, and the second after Marco Asensio laid the ball back with twenty minutes to go. Gerard Moreno hit the post for the visitors before the break, but Pau López had to make several saves to prevent the scoreline from increasing further.

Betis are up to sixth after a high scoring 4-4 draw at Real Sociedad in the mid-day kick-off. The lead changed hands three times, Sanabria’s opener overturned by goals from Willian José and Oyarzabal, and the scoreline reversed again by strikes from Feddal and Joaquín either side of the interval. Xavi Prieto levelled it again with just under an hour gone, and Sergio León put the visitors back ahead before Llorente completed the scoring near the end.

Elsewhere Villarreal clocked up a 3-0 victory over Eibar to move up to the top half of the table and leave their opponents down in the drop zone. Bakambu scored all three, the first two following assists from Trigueros and Sansone either side of half time, and the third from the penalty spot after Arbilla fouled Samu Castillejo in the area, to give new coach Javier Calleja his first win. (01.10.17)

Atlético Madrid drop to third in the table after they were held to a 0-0 draw by city neighbours Leganés on Saturday night. In the end though a point apiece was a fair result, Saúl and Godín bringing good saves out of Cuéllar and Fernando Torres missing a chance for the visitors, but Beauvue firing a couple of efforts just wide, and El Zhar and Amrabat testing Oblak at the other end. The result keeps Leganés in seventh spot.

Sevilla move above Atlético to second after they beat Málaga 2-0 earlier in the afternoon. Both goals came midway through the second half, Banega converting a penalty after Rosales brought down Joaquín Correa in the area, and Muriel adding the second just two minutes later following a run from midfield. Málaga end the day at the bottom of the table, and although coach Michel still has the backing of his bosses, he rapidly needs a result to turn things around.

As it happens three other clubs did change their managers this week, Alavés in particular getting off to a good start under new coach De Biasi after a 0-2 win at Levante. The Vitoria based team had not picked up a single point this season, but a goal in each half from Munir and Medrán took them above Málaga and off the bottom the table.

Meanwhile Deportivo are out of the bottom three completely after they beat Getafe 2-1 in the first game of the day. Amath put the visitors in front soon after the interval after picking up a long pass from Damián Suárez, but strikes from Lucas Pérez and Andone turned the scoreline around. (30.09.17)

Girona are now just two points above the drop zone pending the rest of the weekend games after a 3-3 draw at Celta on Friday evening. Four of the goals came in a frenetic first quarter of an hour, but Juanpe saved a point for the visitors near the end after Daniel Wass appeared to have given Unzué’s team a much needed win. (29.09.17)