Barcelona run riot, Real Madrid win as Atlético Madrid, Sociedad lose ground: Week Four Liga F Round Up
Defending champions Barcelona ran riot humbling visiting Madrid CFF 7-0 at the Estadi Johan Cryuff on Saturday.
The hosts opened the scoring in the 22nd minute through forward Caroline Graham Hansen and went to halftime with a narrow lead. The hosts doubled their lead in the 59th minute when forward Mariona Caldentey converted a pass from fellow forward Claudia Pina.
On the hour mark, Barcelona made a double substitution bringing in forwards Geyse and Fridolina Rolfö to replace forward Asisat Oshoala and defender Nuria Rábano respectively.
Geyse made an instant impact registering her name on the scoresheet just a minute after her introduction when she converted a Caldentey pass to give the hosts a three-goal advantage. Caldentey grabbed her brace in the 65th minute after she was set up by Claudia Pina who also registered a brace of assists.
Graham was replaced by forward Ana-Maria Crnogorčević in the 67th minute before Geyse completed her brace a minute later converting a pass from midfielder Patri Guijarro. Crnogorčević registered her first goal 10 minutes after her introduction when she converted a Caldentey pass and completed her brace when she converted a pass from Rolfö with 12 minutes left to play.
The win put the defending champions firmly on top of the log standings.
Elsewhere, Real Madrid continued with their fine run of form beating Athletic Club 3-0 at the Lezama Facilities on Sunday evening.
The visitors opened the scoring in the 29th minute when forward Nahikari García converted a pass from midfielder Caroline Weir. Five minutes before halftime Weir set up another goal for midfielder Athenea del Castillo to double the visitors’ lead and they went to the break with a two-goal advantage.
After setting up the two goals, Weir was on the scoresheet in the 95th minute when she made it 3-0 to Real Madrid completing her three-goal contribution on the day.
The Madrid side moved to third position on six points having played one game less.
UDG Tenerife got their first win of the season when they beat hosts Real Betis 2-1 at the Ciudad Deportiva Luis de Sol on Saturday.
The visitors opened the scoring in the 12th minute when midfielder Gisela Robledo Gil converted a pass from midfielder Sandra Hernández.
The hosts equalised 14 minutes later when former Liverpool forward Rinsola Babajide pounced on a pass from midfielder Rosa Márquez to ensure the teams were level at the break.
Defender Raquel Peña restored the visitors’ lead in the 65th minute from the penalty spot to secure maximum points on the road.
Villarreal boosted their start to the new campaign with a 4-0 win against Alavés at the Ciudad Deportiva José Luis Compañón on Saturday afternoon.
Forward Sheila Guijarro opened the scoring in the 34th minute when she turned home a pass from midfielder Fatou Kanteh to give the visitors a well-deserved lead.
The hosts made a triple substitution on the hour mark as they tried to find an equaliser bringing in midfielders Ane Miren Martínez, Alba Aznar and Jessica Aby for defender Osinachi Ohale, forward Carla Armengol and midfielder Fátima Pinto respectively.
Kanteh made her second goal contribution when she doubled the visitors’ lead in the 63rd minute with an assist from midfielder María Llompart. Substitute forward Belén Martínez made it 3-0 in the 76th minute after being set up by forward Estefanía Lima. Guijarro sealed the scoring and completed her brace with nine minutes remaining to make it 4-0 to the visitors.
Valencia held Sporting Huelva to a goalless draw at the Campo del CD Lamiya on Saturday afternoon.
There was not much for the two sides as they battled to find the breakthrough.
The visitors made a double change in the 58th minute to add more firepower introducing forwards Ascensión Martínez Salinas and Fiamma for midfielder Pauleta and forward Ainhoa Alguacil Amores respectively.
The draw left the teams level on four points with Valencia occupying eighth position and Huelva ninth on the standings.
Atlético Madrid suffered a setback in their campaign as they lost 2-1 to a determined Levante side at the Ciudad Deportiva de Buñol - Campo 1 on Sunday.
The hosts took the lead on the half hour mark when defender Carmen Menayo beat her own keeper to send the home crowd into song and dance. The hosts doubled their lead in the 68th minute through forward Nataša Andonova.
The visitors crawled back into the game and were duly rewarded in the 89th minute when substitute forward Andrea Stašková converted a pass from midfielder Leicy Santos to set up a thrilling finish.
The home side held onto their lead and collected the maximum points.
Levante moved to second position after winning all their first three matches whilst the Madrid side moved to fourth.
Levante Las Planas came from behind to win 3-1 against fellow newcomers Alhama CF ElPozo at the Camp Municipal Les Planes on Sunday afternoon.
The visitors took the lead in the 26th minute when experienced forward Jade Boho converted a pass from midfielder Lucía Martínez González.
The lead was short lived as the hosts levelled the scores four minutes later when midfielder Laura Martínez González found the back of the net to ensure that the teams went to the break on level terms.
González completed her brace in the 85th minute when she gave the hosts the lead for the first time in the match before halftime substitute forward Pilar Garrote Camuñez sealed the match in the 96thminute converting a pass from midfielder Irina Priscilla Uribe García.
The win moved the hosts to fifth on the log standings whilst the visitors occupy 15th position after losing their opening three matches.
Real Sociedad needed a 93rd minute equaliser to force a 2-2 draw against Sevilla at the Ramón Cisneros Palacios on Sunday evening.
The visitors came from two goals down to secure a point away from home.
The hosts opened the scoring in the 16th minute through forward Ana Franco who converted a pass from midfielder Amanda Sampedro.
Sociedad tried to come back into the game but found themselves two goals down with 14 minutes left when forward Jessica Martínez converted from the penalty spot.
Forward Nerea Eizagirre pulled one back for the visitors with five minutes left converting a pass from forward Gabriela García to set up a thrilling end to the match. García converted a pass from substitute midfielder Allegra Poljak in the 93rd minute to break Sevilla hearts and complete her two-goal contribution for the day.
The visitors appeared tired from the demands of Champions League football where they lost 3-1 to Bayern Munich on Thursday.
Sevilla lost the chance to collect their first set of maximum points. They have collected just one point out of a possible nine.
Results (Saturday): Real Betis 1-2 UDG Tenerife; Alavés 0-4 Villarreal; Sporting Huelva 0-0 Valencia; Barcelona 7-0 Madrid CFF
Results (Sunday): Levante 2-1 Atlético Madrid; Levante Las Planas 3-1 Alhama CF ElPozo; Sevilla 2-2 Real Sociedad; Athletic Club 0-3 Real Madrid