Atlético lose top three plot as Barcelona, Madrid CFF win big: Liga F Week 28 Round Up
Fourth-placed Atlético Madrid lost the plot in their fight for a top three finish after narrowly losing 1-0 to visiting Levante Las Planas at the Centro Deportivo Alcalá de Henares on Saturday afternoon.
Forward Irina Uribe, who is arguably Las Planas’ player of the season, struck the all important goal on the stroke of halftime after she was set up by Garrote Camuñez.
The victory moved them to 23 points, four clear of the relegation zone with just two matches left before the season ends. On the other hand, the loss was enough for the hosts to surrender in their third position fight against Levante whilst now being in danger of being pipped to fourth position by Madrid CFF whom they now lead by just three points.
Watch Atlético Madrid vs. Levante Las Planas highlights below:
Meanwhile, fifth-placed Madrid CFF came from two goals down to win 6-2 against visiting Alhama CF ElPozo at the Estadio Fernando Torres on Saturday afternoon as the hosts mounted a spirited second half charge to score six goals in 35 minutes.
The visitors broke the deadlock in the 20th minute through midfielder Daniela Arques Lázaro before defender Astrid Álvarez Navarro doubled their lead a minute before half-time.
The hosts pulled a goal back 10 minutes into the second half through midfielder Aida Esteve. The hosts’ top goal scorer forward Racheal Kundananji leveled the scores in the 66th minute after she was set up by midfielder Itziar Pinillos.
The hosts made the first movement on the bench bringing on forward Gabi Nunes for midfielder Laura Domínguez in the 69th minute to add more firepower upfront and the substitute gave her side the lead for minutes after coming on to make it 3-2 after she converted a pass from Esteve.
Nunes scored her second goal of the match in the 76th minute after she combined with Esteve again to make it 4-2 and set the team on a roll. Kundananji scored her second goal of the match on the stroke of full time after she was set up by substitute midfielder Therese Åsland to make it 5-2 before she completed her hat-trick in the third minute of added time to complete the rout and make it 6-2 to the hosts.
The win moved the hosts to 50 points, three behind fourth-placed Atlético with two matches left whilst the visitors remained on 19 points.
Watch Madrid CFF vs. Alhama CF ElPozo highlights below:
Newly crowned league champions Barcelona continued with their 100% record after they thumped hosts Real Sociedad 5-2 at the Instalaciones de Zubieta on Saturday evening.
The champions made their intentions clear with midfielder Patri Guijarro giving them the lead in the 21st minute after she was set up by forward Mariona Caldentey. The visitors’ leading goal scorer forward Asisat Oshoala doubled her side’s lead after she combined with Guijarro in the 25th minute.
Midfield magician Aitana Bonmatí made it 3-0 a minute before the half hour mark after she converted a pass from forward Caroline Graham Hansen. Graham Hansen scored the visitors’ fourth goal after 32 minutes when she converted a pass from defender Nuria Rábano before forward Synne Jensen reduced the deficit for the hosts in the 38th minute.
The hosts made a triple change at half-time bringing on defenders Izarne Sarasola, Ana Tejada and midfielder Gemma Gili for defenders Alejandra Bernabé, Ane Etxezarreta and midfielder Iris Arnaiz respectively in a bid to add fresh legs toa tiring side.
However, it was the visitors who went on to score, with Graham Hansen bagging her second of the day and the fifth for the visitors in the 58th minute after she was set up by the ever running Bonmatí.
The visitors made a double substitution in the 63rd minute bringing on skipper and midfielder Alexia Putellas and young forward Vicky López for midfielder Keira Walsh and forward Mariona Caldentey respectively.
The hosts got a lifeline to reduce the deficit in the 64th minute when Guijarro beat her own goalkeeper Sandra Paños to make it 5-2.
The win put the visitors on 81 points, having scored 113 goals and conceded only 7 goals after 27 games whilst the defeat ended the hosts’ unbeaten run of four games.
Watch Real Sociedad vs. Barcelona highlights below:
Second-placed Real Madrid scored in either half to see off the challenge of hosts Sevilla in their 2-0 win at the Ramón Cisneros Palacios on Friday night.
The visitors broke the deadlock a minute before the half hour mark through defender Olga Carmona who converted a pass from young Colombian forward Linda Caicedo.
The hosts made a half-time change bringing on forward Arola Aparacio for defender Rosa Otermín to add more fire power up front in search of an equaliser.
Midfielder Caroline Weir was set up by forward Athenea del Castillo in the 83rd minute to double her side’s lead.
The win moved Real Madrid to 71 points whilst Sevilla remained on 36 points having played a game less.
Watch Sevilla vs. Real Madrid highlights below:
Third-placed Levante sealed their top three spot after playing to a one-all draw with visiting Valencia at the Estadio Ciudad de Valencia on Sunday evening.
The visitors broke the deadlock after 14 minutes through striker Macarena Portales Nieto after she was set up by fellow forward Asun.
The hosts rallied back and leveled the scores in the 27th minute through defender María Méndez after she was set up by defender Paula Tomás.
Forward Alba Redondo failed to increase her goal tally and she faces the risk of being overtaken as her lead was reduced to two goals at the top of the top goal scorers charts.
The win put Levante on 63 points,10 clear of Atlético whilst Valencia moved to eighth position on 37 points.
UDG Tenerife denied hosts Alavés a chance to move out of the relegation zone after coming from behind to snatch a late equaliser to record a one-all draw at the Ciudad Deportiva José Luis Compañón on Saturday afternoon.
The hosts broke the deadlock in the 21st minute through Miku Ito who converted a pass from midfielder Ane Miren to set the home supporters into survival belief mode.
Tenerife’s reliable forward Jassina Blom broke the hearts of the hosts in the 79th minute when she leveled the scores after being set up by midfielder Koko Ange.
The point gained by Tenerife moved them to 37 points above Sevilla whilst Alavés rued the two points dropped as they remained bottom though they moved to 19 points.
Athletic Club continued with their fine form after beating visiting Real Betis 2-0 at the Lezama Facilities on Sunday afternoon.
The hosts opened the scoring in the 32nd minute through forward Paula Arana to set her team on a winning roll.
The visitors responded to the setback by making a change at half time bringing on forward Carmen Álvarez for midfielder Lucía León.
However, the hosts went on to double their lead through midfielder Nerea Nevado in the 58th minute after being set up by Arana.
The win put Athletic Club on 34 points whilst Betis remained on 24 points, five above the relegation zone with two matches remaining.
Visiting Villarreal drew one-all against Sporting Huelva at the Campo del CD Lamiya on Sunday afternoon.
Forward Sheila Guijarro opened the scoring for the visitors in the 69th minute to give her side the lead before the hosts leveled the scores through defender Ana Carol just five minutes later.
The win did not change the positions of both teams who remain tied on 21 points, only two above the relegation zone with Huelva above Villarreal on goal difference.
Results (Friday): Sevilla 0-2 Real Madrid
Results (Saturday): Alavés 1-1 UDG Tenerife; Atlético Madrid 0-1 Levante Las Planas; Madrid CFF 6-2 Alhama CF ElPozo; Real Sociedad 2-5 Barcelona
Results (Sunday): Athletic Club 2-0 Real Betis; Sporting Huelva 1-1 Villarreal; Levante 1-1 Valencia