Barcelona blow aside Real Madrid as Betis continue with resurgence: Liga F Week 9 Round-Up

Barcelona blow aside Real Madrid as Betis continue with resurgence: Liga F Week 9 Round-Up
Barcelona celebrate a goal in their 5-0 demolition of Real Madrid on Sunday afternoon / © Photo by Joan Valls / Urbanandsport / NurPhoto via Getty Images

Defending champions Barcelona extended their Liga F dominance with a convincing 5-0 win over visiting Real Madrid at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on Sunday afternoon. 

The hosts broke the deadlock after 17 minutes through the evergreen midfield magician Aitana Bonmatí who was teed up by the rejuvenated Norwegian forward Caroline Graham Hansen. 

The match looked headed for a 1-0 scoreline until Graham Hansen registered her name on the scoresheet with two minutes left before the half-time break to double her side’s lead off a rebound from the crossbar from forward Salma Paralluelo’s initial shot before fellow forward Mariona Caldentey made it 3-0 in the first minute of added-time.

The visitors suffered a setback in the 88th minute when forward Linda Caicedo was stretchered off after clashing with hosts’ goalkeeper Cata Coll and was replaced by forward Caroline Møller Hansen. 

Substitute forward Clàudia Pina made it 4-0 with a cheeky back heeler off a pass from Bonmatí in the 91st minute before another substitute forward Vicky López rounded off the scoring in the 93rd minute off an assist from midfielder Ingrid Syrstad Engen. 

The win maintained their 100% record and moved them to 27 points whilst Real Madrid remained on 21 points, six points behind the log leaders.  

Watch Barcelona vs. Real Madrid highlights below:

Meanwhile, Levante narrowly beat hosts UDCA Tenerife 1-0 at the Campo Municipal de Fútbol de Adeje on Saturday afternoon. 

Levante scored on 49 minutes when forward Alba Redondo bundled home a loose ball in the penalty box during a scramble after goalkeeper Aline had saved the initial shot by defender Antônia. 

The win took the visitors’ points to 21 whilst the hosts remained on 12 points.

Watch Levante UD vs. UDCA Tenerife highlights below:

A local Madrid derby saw Atlético Madrid beat hosts Madrid CFF 4-1 at the Estadio Fernando Torres on Sunday evening. 

Forward Sheila Guijarro initiated the rout as early as the fifth minute of the first half converting a pass from fellow forward Rasheedat Ajibade before the latter doubled her side’s lead three minutes later when she headed home a cross from forward Eva Navarro.

Defender Aldana Cometti headed home Karen Araya’s freekick to reduce the deficit for the hosts in the 12th minute to set up an exciting encounter for a derby. 

Former Barcelona defender-cum-forward Ana-Maria Crnogorčević had a one minute to remember after setting up midfielder and skipper Leicy Santos for her team’s third goal in the 63rd minute to restore their two goal advantage.

Defender Xènia Pérez made it 4-1 to the visitors in the seventh minute of added time. 

The win put the visitors on 19 points and saw them leap into fourth position above their opponents who remained on 18 points in fifth position.

Watch Madrid CFF vs. Atlético Madrid highlights below:

Real Sociedad continued with their struggles losing 2-1 to visiting Sevilla at the Instalacións de Zubieta on Saturday evening. 

The visitors broke the deadlock in the 55th minute through forward Inma Gabarro. 

The hosts were reduced to ten players after forward Jacqueline Owusu was given her second yellow card in the 53rd minute. 

Substitute Syne Jensen levelled the scores with two minutes remaining to play, scoring from a rebound before midfielder María Pérez restored her side’s lead three minutes into added time.

The win put Sevilla on 12 points whilst the hosts remained on 10 points.

Watch Real Sociedad vs. Sevilla highlights below:

Visiting Athletic Club edged Valencia 2-1 at the Estadio Antonio Puchades on Saturday night. 

The visitors took the lead after 43 minutes from the penalty spot through midfielder Clara Pinedo before the hosts levelled the scores after 68 minutes through forward Pauleta. 

Substitute forward Patricia Zugasti was the heroine for the visitors when she scored off a pass from midfielder Paula Arana with four minutes left on the clock. 

The win moved Athletic Club to 12 points whilst Valencia remained on 11 points.

Watch Valencia vs. Athletic Bilbao highlights below:

SD Eibar moved out of the relegation zone with a 1-0 win over visiting Sporting Huelva at the Municipal de Ipurúa on Saturday evening. 

The hosts broke the deadlock after 70 minutes through a well taken shot on the arc of the box by forward Andrea Álvarez after being teed up by defender Andrea Sierra. 

The win took the hosts to seven points whilst Huelva remained bottom with a single point.

Watch Eibar vs. Sporting Huelva highlights below:

Villarreal came from behind to beat hosts Granada CF 2-1 at the Ciudad Deportiva del Granada CF on Sunday afternoon. 

Midfielder Ariadna Mingueza gave the hosts the lead seven minutes into the second half before forward Kayla McKenna equalised for the visitors after 59 minutes off a Nerea Pérez pass. 

The visitors completed the come-back 10 minutes later with Claudia Iglesia chipping the goalkeeper from a tight angle off a McKenna pass. 

The win moved Villarreal to seven points whilst the hosts remained on three points.

Watch Granada vs. Villarreal highlights below:

Real Betis continued with their fine run after beating visiting Levante Las Planas 1-0 at the Ciudad Deportiva Luis del Sol on Sunday evening. 

Midfielder Leles struck a thunderbolt freekick past goalkeeper Nayluisa Cáceres a minute before half-time to secure the all-important three points. 

The win was Betis’ third consecutive, moving them to 13 points whilst Las Planas remained on 15 points.

Watch Real Betis vs. Levante Las Planas highlights below:

Results (Saturday): UDCA Tenerife 0-1 Levante; Real Sociedad 1-2 Sevilla; SD Eibar 1-0 Sporting Huelva; Valencia 1-2 Athletic Club

Results (Sunday): Barcelona 5-0 Real Madrid; Granada CF 1-2 Villarreal; Madrid CFF 1-4 Atlético Madrid; Real Betis 1-0 Levante Las Planas