Barcelona, Levante unstoppable as Valencia rejuvenation continues: Liga F Week 19 Round-Up
The defending champions edged closer to defending their title as they dismantled hosts Alavés 4-0 at the Ciudad Deportiva José Luis Compañón on Saturday evening.
The visitors opened the scoring in the 33rd minute through forward Asisat Oshoala who scored her 18th goal of the season after receiving a pass from fellow forward Fridolina Rolfö.
Defender Osinachi Ohale beat her own goalkeeper to double the visitors’ lead with six minutes left before the half time break as the hosts buckled under a heavy onslaught from the visitors.
The defending champions made it 3-0 after 64 minutes through midfielder Aitana Bonmatí who scored from a rebound after Geyse’s initial shot was saved by the goalkeeper before midfielder Clàudia Pina rounded off the scoring to make it 4-0 in the 84th minute off a pass from defender Lucy Bronze.
The win firmly put the defending champions ahead in the title race whilst the hosts’ fight for survival was derailed.
Meanwhile, third-placed Levante UD completed a 5-0 rout of visiting Levante Las Planas at the Ciudad Deportiva de Buñol - Campo 1 on Saturday afternoon.
The hosts were awarded a penalty on the half mark after forward Mayra Ramírez was fouled in the box and leading goalscorer forward Alba Redondo converted the resultant spot kick.
The visitors introduced fresh legs at half-time trying to match the hosts, bringing on defender Cecilie Struck and forward Irina Uribe for defender Laia Parera and forward Mari Paz respectively.
The visitors, however, doubled their lead after 59 minutes through forward Ramírez after she scored a rebound in the penalty box before midfielder Tatiana Pinto made it 3-0 three minutes later to put the game beyond struggling Las Planas. Alba Redondo made it 4-0 in the 65th minute for her 19th goal of the season after receiving a pass from defender Estela Carbonell Nuñez before Ramírez completed her brace with 18 minutes left to play after she received a pass from substitute forward Nataša Andonova.
The win put Levante UD within five points of second-placed Real Madrid in 19 games. As for the visitors, the battle is on to survive the chop come end of season.
Second-placed Real Madrid left it late to seal a narrow 1-0 victory over struggling Sporting Hueva at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on Sunday evening.
The match was seemingly headed for a draw until substitute forward Caroline Møller made all the difference with an 87th minute winner off a pass from midfielder Sandie Toletti.
The win firmly put Madrid’s dream of ending Barcelona dominance on course after moving to within five points of Barcelona at the top having played the same number of games. On the other hand, Huelva have now recorded five consecutive defeats and find themselves just three points above relegation.
Madrid CFF extended their unbeaten run to four matches with a comfortable 3-0 win over hosts Villarreal at the Ciudad Deportiva on Saturday afternoon.
The visitors found a breakthrough on the half hour mark when midfielder Karen Araya scored direct from a corner kick to give her side the lead before midfielder Ana González doubled their lead two minutes later off a pass from forward Racheal Kundananji.
The hosts, sensing defeat, introduced defender Lara Mata and midfielder Laura Rueda for defender Yenifer Giminez and midfielder María Llompart respectively at half-time to add fresh energy into the team.
The visitors, however, went on to double their lead through Kundananji who scored her 11th goal of the season to make it 3-0 for her side in the 56th minute to secure maximum points for Madrid CFF.
The win put the visitors three points behind fourth-placed Atlético Madrid who are on 36 points and 14 points behind third-placed Levante whilst Villarreal are now just a point above relegation.
Valencia returned to winning ways after edging hosts Real Betis 1-0 at the Ciudad Deportiva Luis de Sol on Saturday afternoon.
The visitors made their intentions clear when they found a fifth minute breakthrough when midfielder Marta Carro converted an exquisite pass from forward Fiamma Iannuzzi to make it 1-0.
The visitors had an opportunity to double their lead with nine minutes left when they were awarded a penalty but Carro saw her spot kick saved, missing the chance to complete a brace.
The win moved Valencia to 27 points and sixth on the standings after Real Sociedad lost to Sevilla. As for Betis, the loss was their fifth consecutive defeat and they find themselves above Alhama on goal difference being tied on 14 points.
Atlético Madrid appeared destined for a draw until they snatched a late goal to edge Athletic Club 1-0 at the Centro Deportivo Alcalá de Henares on Sunday afternoon.
The visitors found themselves short when they were reduced to 10 players after defender Maite Zubieta was shown a straight red card in the 65th minute.
Defender Carmen Menayo broke the deadlock when she scored in the 92nd minute off a pass from forward Ludmila to seal the points for her side.
The win moved the hosts to 36 points, 11 behind third-placed Levante whilst Athletic Club remained on 17 points facing relegation risk with no win in their last five matches.
Sevilla recorded their third win in a row after an emphatic 3-0 win over hosts Real Sociedad at the Instalaciones de Zubieta on Sunday afternoon.
The visitors opened the scoring with three minutes left before the half-time break through midfielder Toni Payne after being set up by midfielder Ana Franco.
Payne was back to haunt the hosts again in the 56th minute to complete her brace and double her side’s lead.
There was still time for substitute midfielder Inma Gabarro to add her name onto the scoresheet in the 85th minute off a pass from midfielder Rosa Otermín to make it 3-0.
The win moved Sevilla to 26 points and are now tied with their opponents of the day after their third win in a row whilst Sociedad have won only once in their last five matches.
Alhama picked a valuable point on the road as they held hosts UDG Tenerife to a goalless draw at the Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López on Sunday afternoon.
The draw moved Alhama level on points with Real Betis, only three below teams on position 10 and 11.
Results (Saturday): Levante 5-0 Levante Las Planas; Real Betis 0-1 Valencia; Villarreal 0-3 Madrid CFF; Alavés 0-4 Barcelona
Results (Sunday): UDG Tenerife 0-0 Alhama CF ElPozo; Atlético Madrid 1-0 Athletic Club; Real Sociedad 0-3 Sevilla; Real Madrid 1-0 Sporting Huelva