Barcelona in El Clásico delight as Valencia ease relegation worries: Liga F Week 18 Round Up

Log leaders Barcelona shrugged off the challenge of visiting Atlético Madrid to win the El Clásico 2-0 at the Estadi Johan Cruyff on Sunday afternoon. 

The hosts breached the visitors’ rearguard six minutes before the half-time break through forward Salma Paralluelo, taking her season goal tally to nine, off a pass from Dutch starlet forward Esme Brugts. 

The visitors made a double change at half-time as they tried to tilt the match in their favour by introducing former Barcelona defender-cum-forward Ana-Maria Crnogorčević and forward Marta Cardona for forwards Eva Navarro and Ludmila respectively. 

However, Barcelona substitute forward Vicky López doubled her side’s advantage with 14 minutes left to play, putting the match beyond the visitors’ reach with a close range tap-in after goalkeeper Lola Gallardo had saved defender Ona Batlle’s initial shot. 

The win moved Barcelona to 52 points whilst Atlético remained on 32 points, failing to take advantage of Levante’s failure to win their match elsewhere, as the two teams battle for a top three finish.

Watch Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid highlights below:

Meanwhile, second-placed Real Madrid had to pull out all their tricks to deny visiting UDCA Tenerife a point with a late 2-1 victory at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on Sunday evening. 

The hosts broke the deadlock in the 28th minute through defender Olga Carmona from the penalty spot to go to the half-time break leading by a solitary goal. 

The visitors responded 10 minutes into the second half with a beauty from attacking midfielder Rinsola Babajide, who was set up by defender Bea Beltrán to level the scores. 

The hosts reclaimed the lead in the second minute of added time through Danish forward Signe Bruun, off a through ball from midfielder Sandie Toletti. 

The win moved the hosts to 43 points whilst Tenerife remained on 20 points.

Watch Real Madrid vs. UDCA Tenerife highlights below:

Levante were held to a frustrating nil-all draw by SD Eibar away at the Municipal de Ipurua on Sunday afternoon. 

The hosts held their fort for a precious point to take their tally to 15 whilst the visitors moved to 39 points.

The visitors welcomed forward Nataša Andonova back from injury and she replaced midfielder Paula Fernández after 57 minutes to add more firepower upfront. 

The first half had seen a lot of tension, with the visitors receiving three yellow cards in a space of four minutes, shown to midfielder Érika González, forward Gabi Nunes and defender María Méndez in the 25th, 27th and 29th minutes respectively whilst the hosts had defender Elba Vergés shown one after 41 minutes. 

Watch SD Eibar vs Levante UD highlights below:

Fourth-placed Madrid CFF survived a late scare to come out with a hard fought 2-1 victory over visiting Levante Las Planas at the Estadio Fernando Torres on Sunday night. 

The hosts breached the visitors’ rearguard three minutes into the second half through midfielder Lee Young-ju, off a pass from midfielder Pinillos, before forward Cristina Librán Quiroga doubled her side’s lead after 52 minutes, off a pass from Young-ju. 

The visitors saw their fight for a comeback suffer a setback in the 82nd minute when forward Anissa Lahmari was shown a straight red card. 

Substitute midfielder Cristina Baudet pulled a goal back in the fifth minute of added time before she missed a penalty in the 99th minute, missing the opportunity to grab a point for her side.

The win moved Madrid CFF to 36 points, within sight of third-placed Levante, whilst Las Planas remained on 19 points.  

Watch Madrid CFF vs. Levante Las Planas highlights below:

Athletic Club left it very late to break the hearts of visiting Real Betis with a 1-0 win at the Lezama Facilities on Saturday afternoon. 

Substitute forward Jone Amezaga stole a late goal for the hosts with a minute left to play, off a headed pass from defender Maddi Torre, to reinforce her super sub status, having scored most of her goals off the bench this season. 

The visitors were left just one point off the relegation zone as they remained on 13 points whilst the hosts moved to 26 points with their second win on the trot.

Watch Athletic Bilbao vs. Real Betis highlights below:

Granada CF boosted their relegation fight with a last minute goal to force a 2-2 draw with visiting Sevilla at the Ciudad Deportiva del Granada CF on Saturday evening. 

The hosts took the lead with a first minute long range strike from midfielder Ornella Vignola after being set up by forward Naima García. 

The visitors levelled the scores four minutes later through midfielder Pamela González, off a cross from defender Débora García. 

Forward Cristina Martín-Prieto gave her side the lead on the stroke of half-time, off a pinpoint pass from winger Toni Payne. 

The hosts levelled the scores on the stroke of full time when forward García converted from the penalty spot, forcing a share of the spoils. 

The draw moved the hosts within a point of relegation safety as they are now on 12 points whilst the visitors moved to 30 points.

Watch Granada CF vs. Sevilla highlights below:

Valencia eased their relegation worries with a 3-1 victory over Sporting Huelva away at the Ciudad Deportiva Decáno del Fútbol Español on Saturday evening. 

The visitors opened the scoring on the half-hour mark through forward Anita Marcos, off a pass from midfielder Estela Fernández before doubling their advantage seven minutes into the second half through Marcos, who headed a long cross from midfielder Pauleta. 

Defender Jimena López made it 3-0 with a header from another Pauleta assist in the 56th minute. 

The hosts pulled a goal back after 66 minutes through midfielder Sandra Castelló, off a cross from winger Isina. 

The win moved Valencia to 18 points, easing their relegation worries being six points above the relegation zone, whilst the defeat saw Huelva remain on four points.

Watch Sporting Huelva vs. Valencia highlights below:

Villarreal came from behind to force a one-all draw with visiting Real Sociedad at the Ciudad Deportiva on Saturday evening. 

The visitors broke the deadlock after 34 minutes through defender Emma Ramírez who combined well with on-loan fellow defender Alejandra Bernabé. 

Midfielder Lucía Gómez García levelled the scores for the hosts with 20 minutes remaining after she was set up by defender Nerea Pérez for a valuable point. 

The draw moved Villarreal to 19 points whilst Sociedad moved to 27 points.

Watch Villarreal vs. Real Sociedad highlights below:

Results (Saturday): Sporting Huelva 1-3 Valencia; Granada CF 2-2 Sevilla; Athletic Club 1-0 Real Betis; Villarreal 1-1 Real Sociedad

Results (Sunday): SD Eibar 0-0 Levante; Barcelona 2-0 Atlético Madrid; Real Madrid 2-1 UDCA Tenerife; Madrid CFF 2-1 Levante Las Planas