Derby delight for Real as Levante, Madrid CFF back in hunt: Liga F Week 12 Round-Up
Real Madrid edged out Atlético Madrid 1-0 at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on Sunday night.
The hosts found the back of the net in the 84th minute through defender Kathellen Sousa who headed home midfielder Teresa Abelleira's corner kick to secure a crucial three points.
The win was vital for the hosts in keeping pressure on log leaders Barcelona as they seek to end their dominance whilst being a setback to the visitors who dropped to fifth on the standings with 23 points and are three points behind third-placed Levante.
Elsewhere, Levante were big winners in a seven-goal thriller when they beat hosts Real Sociedad 4-3 at the Estadio Anoeta on Sunday evening.
The hosts took a fifth minute lead when forward Synne Jensen converted a pass from midfielder Nerea Eizagirre before the visitors equalised five minutes later when forward Alba Redondo was set up by fellow forward Érika González for her 11th goal of the season.
Forward Mayra Ramírez then raced through from the centre circle and skipped past several defenders before slotting home to give the visitors the lead 10 minutes before half-time after a long pass from defender Núria Mendoza.
The hosts levelled the scores in the 77th minute through midfielder Gabriela García after being set up by Jensen but the celebrations did not last long with midfielder Tatiana Pinto restoring the visitors’ lead a minute later.
Things went bad for the hosts when defender Ane Etxezarreta beat her own keeper to double the lead for the visitors with an own goal one minute from time.
Substitute forwards Mirari Uria and Sanni Franssi combined to reduce the arrears with the former scoring to make it 4-3 but it was to late to rescue the match.
The win moved Levante to third position whilst Sociedad are sixth after suffering their second defeat of the season.
Madrid CFF thumped visiting Valencia 3-1 at the Estadio Municipal Nuevo Matapiñonera on Saturday afternoon to keep hopes of a top three finish alive.
The visitors had a chance to take the lead as early as the 15th minute when they were awarded a penalty but defender Pauleta missed the spot kick.
The hosts opened the scoring in the 58th through an own goal by defender María Molina Molero.
The visitors levelled the scores eight minutes later through forward Anita Marcos after being fed by substitute forward Macarena Portales but the joy lasted only three minutes as the hosts regained their lead through forward Gabi Nunes who headed a freekick from forward Florencia Bonsegundo.
Valencia made an attacking change bringing on forward Elena Gil Gallardo in place of defender Pauleta in the 77th minute to add forward firepower upfront.
Substitute forward Lucía Pardo doubled the hosts’ lead in the fourth minute of added time from Gabi Nunes’ pass to kill the match as a contest.
The win temporarily took Madrid CFF to third position 24 hours before other teams played whilst the defeat was Valencia’s third in a row.
Log leaders Barcelona were 4-0 winners over 10 women Alhama CF ElPozo at the Estadi Johan Cruyff on Saturday evening.
The hosts went on the front foot from the onset and took an early lead in the fourth minute when forward Clàudia Pina converted a pass from defender Lucy Bronze. Forward Salma Paralluelo doubled the hosts’ lead from a freekick in the 31st minute and Barcelona went to the break with a two-goal advantage.
The hosts came back from the break determined to add more goals and were duly rewarded 13 minutes into the second half when forward Bruna Vilamala dribbled past two defenders before slotting home at the near post beating goalkeeper Laura Martínez Martínez to make it 3-0.
The visitors were reduced to 10 women after midfielder Zaira Flores received her second yellow card in the 67th minute.
The hosts made it 4-0 with four minutes left to play when forward Asisat Oshoala coolly converted a pass from defender Emma Ramírez.
The win meant that Barcelona’s 100% record remains intact and Alhama remain bottom.
Athletic Club lost 1-0 to hosts Real Betis at the Ciudad Deportiva Luis de Sol on Sunday afternoon.
Half-time substitute forward Laura Moreno Moreno, who replaced midfielder Natalia Montilla Martínez, grabbed the all-important goal for the hosts in the 60th minute to collect maximum points and move to 13 points, level with the visitors.
The tense match was characterised by bookings as both teams looked to come out of their shells.
The defeat was the second in a row for the visitors who now find themselves in the bottom half of the standings.
Alavés took another step in their fight for relegation survival with a 2-0 win over visitors Sevilla at the Ciudad Deportiva José Luis Compañón on Sunday afternoon.
The hosts were on the front foot from the onset and were duly rewarded three minutes into the match when forward Ane Miren Martínez converted a pass from forward Sanadri. The hosts doubled their lead in the 12th minute when midfielder Míriam Diéguez converted from the penalty spot.
The win was a huge relief for the hosts as they have now collected eight points from a possible 15 in the last five matches whilst Sevilla have 12 points from 12 games and are only three points above relegation.
UDG Tenerife continued with their poor run narrowly losing 1-0 to visiting Levante Las Planas at the Estadio La Palmera on Sunday afternoon.
The visitors scored on 31 minutes when midfielder Irina Priscilla Uribe García converted a pass from forward Pilar Garrote Camuñez.
The win moved the visitors to within a point behind Tenerife who are on 12 points and boosted their confidence to fight for their survival.
10 women Sporting Huelva scored a last-minute winner in their 3-2 win over hosts Villarreal at the Ciudad Deportiva on Sunday afternoon.
The hosts broke the deadlock in the 59th minute when midfielder Bicho converted a pass from substitute forward Fatou Kanteh.
The lead lasted for only nine minutes with substitute forward Ana de Teresa levelling the scores for the visitors after heading home a cross from defender Raiderlin Nazareth Carrasco Vargas. Forward María Ruiz Gámez then gave the visitors the lead with nine minutes left on the clock to set up a pulsating finish to the match.
The visitors found themselves a player down after midfielder Sandra Castelló was given a straight red card for handling a goal bound shot in the 84th minute and conceded a penalty which was converted by midfielder María Llompart to make it 2-2 with five minutes left.
Substitute midfielder Patrycja Balcerzak was the heroine after she headed home a cross from defender Patri Ojeda to score the all-important goal in the 94th minute to make it 3-2.
The win moved Huelva to eighth on the standings whilst Villarreal found themselves one point above relegation after the match.
Results (Saturday): Madrid CFF 3-1 Valencia; Barcelona 4-0 Alhama CF ElPozo
Results (Sunday): Villarreal 2-3 Sporting Huelva; Alavés 2-0 Sevilla; UDG Tenerife 0-1 Levante Las Planas; Real Betis 1-0 Athletic Club; Real Sociedad 3-4 Levante; Real Madrid 1-0 Atlético Madrid