News
DOM 25.09.2016
Valencia show no sign of letting up. Every player is on the top of their game. Their defence have been rock-solid, as shown by the club's three clean sheets in as many fixtures. At the other end, meanwhile, they are scoring for fun, having netted 11 times in total. Saturday's win over Albacete was their third on the trot and it was once again achieved in rampant fashion.
Mari Paz Vilas broke the deadlock in the 13th minute, supplying the finishing touch after a buccaneering run by Joyce Magalhaes. Marianela Szymanowski, who was also on target last matchday, doubled the scoreline, before Mari Paz made it 3-0 from the penalty spot in the 37th minute. Cristian Toro's charges were well on top throughout, bossing possession and making all the running, and they completed the rout just prior to the hour mark through Szymanowski's second of the game. Las Che stay joint-top alongside FC Barcelona.
Santa Teresa CD 3-0 Real Betis
Three games into the season, promoted Betis can say that they well and truly know what the Liga Iberdrola is all about. You've got to take your chances and keep your eye on the ball in this division, otherwise you will be punished, and you can't afford to switch off even when you are in the ascendancy (Exhibit A: their thrilling loss to Sporting Huelva on Matchday 1). Maria Pry's team crashed to a much more comprehensive defeat on this occasion, going down 3-0 to a Santa Teresa side whose coach, Juan Carlos Antunez, enthused at the post-match press conference that "the game panned out exactly the way we'd planned."
Maria de los Angeles Martin (Chica) opened the scoring from a corner in the 38th minute and Estefa (Esther Gonzalez) made it 2-0 with a header five minutes later. Betis resorted to a triple substitution at half-time in the hope of sparking a reaction and although they improved substantially in the second period, they were denied time and again by home goalkeeper Emmeline Mainguy. Sofia bagged the third and final goal of the encounter, although truth be told it was down to Betis keeper Raquel Zubeldia, whose clearance deflected off the Santa Teresa player and into the net to add extra gloss to the hosts' second win of the campaign. As for Betis, they are still searching for their first-ever victory in the Liga Iberdrola.
And on Matchday 3… Charlyn Corral finally scored. The Mexican star, a regular match-winner last term, got the monkey off her back by breaking her duck for the campaign in an encounter that saw Levante positively steamroller their opponents. Indeed, the winning margin could have been much more emphatic had it not been for an inspired display by away goalkeeper Patricia Larque, who kept the score respectable and prevented Les Granotes from forging ahead until the 37th minute.
Charlyn it was who got the opener and then Maitane Lopez extended the lead by heading home a set-piece three minutes later. It was a more evenly contested affair after the interval, but the home team reasserted their supremacy courtesy of Charlyn's 65th-minute penalty and that was that.
What started out as a dream – their first visit to Lezama – turned into a nightmare for Tacuense as they found themselves on the receiving end of the most eye-catching scoreline of the weekend. On the other hand, it was the stuff of fantasy for Joseba Agirre's Athletic, who got back to winning ways in style after being held to a draw last time out and welcomed back Nekane Diez from a nine-month layoff following an ACL tear.
Yulema Corres opened the floodgates in the 20th minute by meeting a cross from the left at the far post. She was on the scoresheet again before the first half was up, while Lucia Garcia also grabbed a brace as her side headed back into the dressing rooms 4-0 to the good.
Right after the restart, Irune Murua made it 5-0 with one of the strikes of the matchday, an exquisite chip. Yulema completed her hat-trick not long after, and Nekane put the perfect seal on the proceedings for the Basques by capping her comeback with a goal.
The Bilbao outfit now stand on seven points after three rounds of fixtures, while Tacuense remain winless.
Granadilla Egatesa 4-1 Rayo Vallecano
Granadilla grabbed their first victory of the season, but it was not as comfortable as the scoreline might suggest. Eva Llamas gave the hosts the lead within the opening quarter of an hour, but Rayo did not lie down – it is not in their DNA to do so – and drew level in the 28th minute when Raquel Carreño located the top corner with the game's outstanding goal.
It was 1-1 at half-time and neither team looked able to stamp their authority on the second half. Up until Tony Ayala brought on Ana Gonzalez with around a quarter of an hour remaining, that is. The substitute staked her claim with a quick-fire double that tipped the contest in her team's favour, first firing home from a tight angle and then dispatching a header, before Maria Estella settled it.
Rayo continue to languish at the bottom of the table, having received scant reward for their battling efforts throughout the first 45 minutes and a sizeable chunk of the second period.
Oiartzun KE 1-1 Sporting Huelva
Sporting Huelva headed into this fixture brimming with belief after kicking off their campaign with a win and then sharing the spoils with champions Athletic last time round. Meanwhile, the pressure was on Oiartzun, who had just a solitary point to their name before kick-off.
Belying their contrasting form, it was the home team who went ahead in the 13th minute following a heart-in-mouth moment. Silvia Ruiz's powerfully hit drive from the edge of the box cannoned off the crossbar, bounced down tantalisingly and then found its way into the back of the net.
Sporting were left ruing their luck as they went into the break behind, but they regrouped and restored parity on the hour mark when Anita Hernandez converted a penalty. A grandstand finish was on the cards and it appeared for all the world that the visitors were going to notch maximum points when the referee pointed to the spot at the death. However, this time Anita failed to hold her nerve and blazed her kick over the bar. Despite this disappointment, her team will go away pleased to have kept their unbeaten start to the season intact.
FC Barcelona 2-0 Real Sociedad
This was a businesslike victory from Barça rather than the sparkling sort we have grown used to. Indeed, Xavi Llorens's charges had to wait until after the interval to get their noses in front, having been restricted to a handful of openings – Jenni Hermoso's strike into the side netting was the pick of the bunch – during the first half.
Alexia Putellas broke Real Sociedad's resistance with her second bite at the cherry in the 56th minute, nodding home on the rebound after her initial headed attempt had struck the post. Olga Garcia ended all hope for the visitors on 80', calmly side-footing a finish across goal and into the bottom corner, beyond Cristina Cornejo's despairing dive.
While Barcelona were left celebrating their third straight triumph and moved level with Valencia at the summit again, it is a different story for the San Sebastian outfit, who are still yet to score, let alone win.
Atletico Madrid 6-0 RCD Espanyol
Having surrendered a draw against T. Alcaine last matchday, there was additional onus on Villa's Atletico team to get the three points on this occasion and they did just that, although the final scoreline flattered them somewhat.
There were a couple of instances of Lady Luck smiling on the Rojiblancas in the first half, with Anair Lombi unfortunate to see her effort rattle the woodwork for Espanyol before visiting defender Ines handed Atleti the lead by turning Amanda's cross into her own net.
The hosts came roaring out of the traps after the restart, though, and quickly made it 2-0 when Amanda set up Esther Gonzalez for the first of her two goals. Sonia Bermudez, aka Soni, subsequently chipped in with a hat-trick as Espanyol fell apart and then Esther rounded off the scoring in a game that also brought a bittersweet Colchoneras debut for Andrea Pereira, who helped put her old employers to the sword.
It is now two wins this term for the reigning Copa de la Reina champions, while Espanyol have suffered back-to-back losses.
© LALIGA - 2016