Barcelona juggernaut continues as Atlético lose ground: Liga F Week 15 Round Up
Log leaders Barcelona continued with their juggernaut as they dispatched hosts Sporting Huelva 3-0 at the Nuevo Colombino on Saturday afternoon.
The visitors took a 21st minute lead via forward Asisat Oshoala after she was set up by fellow forward Ana-Maria Crnogorčević.
The hosts found themselves conceding again 11 minutes later when forward Mariona Caldentey doubled her side’s lead after her shot took a slight deflection off wrong footed goalkeeper Chelsea Ashurst.
Caldentey turned provider for Oshoala’s second of the game to make it 3-0 to the defending champions in the 57thminute and took her season goal tally to seven.
The changes came in the 63rd minute with the visitors making a triple change bringing on defenders Marta Torrejón, Nuria Rábano and forward Salma Paralluelo for defenders Irene Paredes, Fridolina Rolfö and forward Ana-Maria Crnogorčević respectively and the hosts making a double change bringing on forward Patrícia Hmírová and midfielder Anna Sofia Ulrika Hagman for midfielder Elsa Amanda Edgren and forward Berglind Rós Ágústsdóttir respectively.
The win consolidated Barcelona’s position in the title race. As for the hosts, the defeat left them on 17 points.
Meanwhile, second-placed Levante continued with their purple patch beating visiting UDG Levante 2-0 at the Ciudad Deportiva de Buñol - Campo 1 on Sunday afternoon.
The hosts opened the scoring a minute before half time through forward Alba Redondo from the penalty spot and she took her season’s goal tally to 14.
The hosts introduced fresh legs in a like-for-like fashion at half-time bringing on midfielder Érika González for midfielder Carolina Férez.
The hosts went on to double their lead in the 53rd minute through midfielder Nataša Andonova after converting a pass from forward Mayra Ramírez.
A win for Levante put them on course to finish in the top three after moving to 35 points and maintaining their second position whilst Tenerife were left just two points above relegation zone.
Hosts Atlético Madrid continued with below par performances as they were held by lowly Villarreal to a two-all draw at the Centro Deportivo Alcalá de Henares on Saturday afternoon.
The hosts broke the deadlock after 21 minutes through forward Eva Navarro direct from a corner kick but the lead was short lived with the visitors restoring parity through forward Sheila Guijarro from the penalty spot after forward Belén Martínez had been fouled in the box by defender Carmen Menayo.
Navarro to restored her side’s lead 11 minutes into the second half after being set up by midfielder Sheila García.
The visitors added firepower upfront after making a double change in the 62nd minute bringing on forwards Estefanía Lima and Teresa Morató Armengol for midfielder María Llompart and forward Belén Martínez respectively.
Lima levelled the scores in the 87thminute from her rebound shot after her initial header had been saved by goalkeeper Lola Gallardo.
The visitors were reduced to 10 women after defender Irene Miguélez was shown a second yellow card in the second minute of added time.
The draw left the hosts with a tall order to make it into the top three whilst Villarreal remained in the relegation zone.
A polished performance from Real Madrid saw them demolish visiting Real Betis 4-0 at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on Sunday evening.
Madrid found a breakthrough in the 34th minute when leading forward Esther González gave them the lead before midfielder Caroline Weir doubled their lead four minutes into the second half when she converted a pass from Athenea del Castillo.
Midfielder Claudia Zornoza made it 3-0 to the hosts after 64 minutes after a perfect assist from González before forward Nahikari García registered her name on the scoresheet to make it 4-0 a minute later from another del Castillo assist.
The win means that the Madrid side kept pressure on log leaders Barcelona in their quest to end their dominance whilst a defeat for Betis left them just two points above relegation zone.
Levante Las Planas left it late to win 1-0 win against visiting Alavés at the Camp Municipal Les Planes on Saturday afternoon as relegation battle host up.
The hosts found the all-important goal with only 10 minutes left to play through midfielder Laura Martínez González who was set up by forward Mari Paz.
The win took the hosts to 15 points, three above relegation zone whilst Alavés are tied on 12 points with Villarreal and above relegation zone because of their superior goal difference.
Bottom-placed Alhama CF ElPozo rejuvenated their fight for survival after their 2-1 win over visiting Athletic Club at the Campo de Fútbol José María Soriano Muñoz on Sunday afternoon.
The visitors took a 21st minute lead through forward Nekane Díez after she converted a pass from midfielder Sara Ortega.
The hosts struck back at the stroke of half time when midfielder Kuki converted a pass from defender Olivia Oprea.
Alhama restored their lead in the 67th minute when forward Raquel Pinel slotted home off a Raquel Morcillo Aparicio assist.
The win took Alhama’s points tally to nine whilst Athletic Club’s struggles left them five points from relegation zone.
Valencia fought hard to a 2-1 victory over visiting Real Sociedad at the Estadio Antonio Puchades on Sunday afternoon.
The visitors took a 22nd minute lead through forward Nerea Eizagirre but the celebrations did not last long as the hosts responded four minutes later through midfielder Marta Carro who levelled the scores after converting a pass from forward Ascensión Martínez Salinas.
The visitors made a triple change at half time bringing on defender Izarne Sarasola, forward Synne Jensen and midfielder Gemma Gili for defender Alejandra Bernabé, midfielder Maddi Torre and midfielder Gabriela García respectively.
Berta Pujadas broke the hearts of Sociedad fans in the 87th minute with a clinical finish to give her side the lead and secure maximum points for her side.
The win moved Valencia to eighth on the standings whilst Sociedad remained on 22 points.
Sevilla boosted their survival chances with an emphatic 4-2 win over visiting Madrid CFF at the Ramón Cisneros Palacios on Sunday evening.
The hosts took an eighth minute lead through forward Inma Gabarro before midfielder Toni Payne doubled their lead after quarter of an hour.
The visitors reduced the deficit through Zambian forward Grace Chanda in the 39th minute to ensure they went to the half time break trailing by a single goal.
Three minutes into the second half the hosts regained their two-goal cushion when midfielder Amanda Sampedro converted from the penalty spot. Forward Cristina Martín-Prieto made it 4-1 after 52 minutes to take the match beyond Madrid CFF.
The hosts were reduced to 10 women in the 64th minute when defender Nazareth Martín received her second yellow card.
Forward Gabi Nunes reduced the deficit when she made it 4-2 in the sixth minute of added time.
The win moved Sevilla to seventh position whilst Madrid CFF remained stuck on fifth position with 25 points after their third defeat in a row.
Results (Saturday): Levante Las Planas 1 - 0 Alavés; Sporting Huelva 0 - 3 Barcelona; Atlético Madrid 2 - 2 Villarreal
Results (Sunday): Levante 2 - 0 UDG Tenerife; Alhama CF ElPozo 2 - 1 Athletic Club; Valencia2 - 1 Real Sociedad; Real Madrid 4 - 0 Real Betis; Sevilla 4 - 2 Madrid CFF