News Archive

Match round-up - First Division, Day 27

Celta kept themselves in the race for the European spots with a 2-1 victory over Las Palmas on Monday evening. Erik Expósito gave the visitors the lead shortly after the restart, but Jonny equalised soon afterwards, and Pablo Hernández volleyed home a late winner to take the Galicians up to ninth. The Canary Islanders stay in the relegation zone as a result, now a point below Levante in the table. (05.03.18)

Barcelona moved a step closer to another league title after beating second placed Atlético Madrid 1-0 on Sunday afternoon. Messi got the only goal with a direct free kick midway through the first half (his third in eight days) to take his team eight points clear at the top, with the head-to-head goal difference in their favour to boot. Later in the evening fourth placed Valencia beat Betis 2-0, Rodrigo and Zaza getting the goals to keep the Ches a point behind Real Madrid, and eight points clear of Sevilla. With UEFA confirming that Spain’s top four will all qualifying directly for next season’s Champions League league stage, the onus is now on holding on to that fourth spot rather than finishing third. Further down the table, the gap between the bottom four and the rest increased to ten points after Real Sociedad won 2-1 against Alavés. Héctor Moreno and Illarramendi got the goals early on, and although Pedraza pulled one back before the break, the locals held fast to move above their neighbours in the table. Levante meanwhile stay just outside of the drop zone pending Las Palmas’s game on Monday after they drew 1-1 against Espanyol in the mid-day kick-off. Morales put the Valencia based team ahead from the penalty spot, but Leo Baptistao equalised in injury time, a goal which cost the job of local coach López Muñiz, who was fired soon after the game ended. (04.03.18)

Real Madrid warmed up for Tuesday’s vital Champions League clash with a 3-1 victory over city neighbours Getafe on Saturday evening. Bale and Ronaldo put Zidane’s side two up at the break, and the visitors were left with ten men when Rémy was sent off soon after the restart. Portillo got one back from the penalty spot however, and it was not until ten minutes from the end that Ronaldo wrapped things up with his second of the evening. Sevilla meanwhile kept up their push for a Champions League spot, a 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao taking the Andalusians to within five points of fourth placed Valencia pending their game on Sunday. Muriel and Franco Vázquez got the goals in a five minute period around the half hour mark to move four points clear of Villarreal, who lost 0-2 to Girona in the early kick-off. Stuani headed the opener and Lozano added a second late on to leave the Catalans just a point below their hosts in seventh spot. Eibar drop to eighth after they drew 1-1 at struggling Deportivo, Inui giving the Basque team an early lead before Dmitrovic put through his own net, and local keeper Koval (who was making his debut for the Galicians) getting himself sent off before the break for a hard tackle outside of the area on Jordán. The point keeps Depor’s hopes of survival alive, but Málaga appear to be doomed after they lost 2-0 at Leganés, Eraso and Amrabat getting the goals in the second half to leave the Andalusians seven points adrift at the foot of the table. (03.03.18)