Madrid CFF back to winning ways as Real, Levante keep pressure on Barcelona: Liga F Week 17 Round Up
Madrid CFF finally remembered how to win when they came from behind to beat hosts Real Betis 3-1 at the Ciudad Deportiva Luis de Sol on Saturday afternoon.
The hosts took an early lead just after a quarter of an hour into the match when midfielder Grace Asantewaa converted from the penalty spot.
Midfielder Florencia Bonsegundo restored parity at the half hour mark when off a pass from midfielder Karen Araya.
The visitors made a like for like change at half-time bringing on their top goal scorer forward Racheal Kundananji for fellow forward Gabi Nunes whilst the hosts made a triple change bringing on defender Lidia Sánchez Gonzalez, midfielder Ángela Sosa and forward Laura Moreno Moreno for forward Noelia Salazar Franquis, defender Nuria Ligero and defender Violeta García Quiles respectively.
The visitors went on to take the lead for the first time in the match when Bonsegundo converted from the penalty spot after 56 minutes. Two minutes later substitute Kundananji doubled the advantage for the visitors with her 10th goal of the season when she pounced on Bonsegundo’s pass to make it 3-1 and set her team on a roll.
The win moved the visitors to 29 points, 11 points behind third-placed Real Madrid whilst Betis dropped to 14th position just two points above relegation zone.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid survived a late scare from visiting Athletic Club to win 2-1 at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano on Saturday evening.
The hosts took a 27th minute lead through their top goal scorer forward Esther González with her 12th goal of the season from a rebound after midfielder Sandie Toletti’s initial shot had been saved.
French forward Naomie Feller doubled the hosts’ lead in the 64th minute after a clever pass from midfielder Caroline Weir.
The visitors turned the match into a contest when they immediately responded two minutes later with an equaliser from midfielder Jone Amezaga Martínez’s deflected shot off an assist from midfielder Mariana Cerro.
The hosts, however, held on for maximum points.
The win saw the Madrid side maintain their pressure on log leaders Barcelona whilst Athletic Club remain five points above relegation after their third defeat in a row.
High flying Levante came from behind to dispatch visiting Alhama CF ElPozo 3-1 at the Ciudad Deportiva de Buñol - Campo 1 on Saturday afternoon.
The visitors took an early lead through defender Raquel Morcillo Aparicio in the 18th minute before midfielder Érika González restored parity five minutes later for the match to go to half-time deadlocked.
The hosts took the lead for the first time in the match on the hour mark through substitute midfielder Tatiana Pinto after receiving a pass from midfielder Paula Fernández. The in-form González doubled the hosts’ advantage when she completed her brace in the 72nd minute after receiving a pinpoint pass from forward Mayra Ramírez to make it 3-1 and wrap the victory for the hosts.
The win kept the hosts in second position and four points from the top whilst Alhama dropped to 15th position and occupy the last relegation slot.
Log leaders Barcelona scored half-a-dozen goals against hosts UDG Tenerife to win 6-0 at the Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López on Sunday evening.
The visitors opened the scoring after five minutes when midfielder Clàudia Pina was set up by midfielder Patri Guijarro. Nigerian forward Asisat Oshoala followed up with a hat-trick scoring in the eighth, 12th and 27th minutes to take her tally for the season to 13 goals. Midfielder Aitana Bonmatí registered her name on the scoresheet on the stroke of half-time to make it 5-0 after being set up by Guijarro.
Defender Lucy Bronze scored in the 92ndminute to make it 6-0 to the visitors to put the match to bed.
The win saw Barcelona maintain a seven-point gap with second-placed Levante whilst Tenerife are just five points above relegation.
Villarreal moved out of the relegation zone with a narrow 1-0 win over 10-women Alavés at the Ciudad Deportiva on Saturday afternoon.
The hosts took a 29th minute lead through forward Sheila Guijarro who converted a pullback pass from defender Nerea Pérez inside the penalty box.
The visitors saw forward Lice Chamorro’s close-range effort thwarted by Villarreal goalkeeper Carmen Carbonell Gil with the follow up shot cleared off the line by defender Irene Miguélez. Their spirits were further dampened in the 80th minute when Jessica Aby was shown a second yellow card that led to her expulsion after having been adjudged to have fouled midfielder Ainoa Campo.
The win took the hosts’ points tally to 15 and moved them to 13th position just three points above relegation whilst Alavés remained bottom of the log on 12 points.
Atlético Madrid had another day to forget as they drew 1-1 with visiting Sevilla at the Centro Deportivo Alcalá de Henares on Sunday afternoon.
The hosts found themselves ahead at the hour mark when forward Eva Navarro converted a pass from midfielder Marta Cardona.
The visitors struck at the stroke of full-time through substitute forward Rosa Otermín to ensure a share of the spoils.
The draw left the Madrid side 10 points off third position whilst Sevilla gained a point to move five points clear of relegation.
Real Sociedad ran a 4-0 riot against visiting Sporting Huelva at the Instalaciones de Zubieta on Sunday afternoon to resuscitate hopes of finishing in the top three.
Real Sociedad opened the scoring after 56 minutes when forward Amaiur Sarriegi converted a pass from defender Maddi Torre.
Forward Synne Jensen doubled her side’s lead in the 88th minute off midfielder Nerea Eizagirre’s pass. Jensen made it 3-0 two minutes later to put the match beyond Huelva before defender Izarne Sarasola wrapped it up with a cool finish to make it 4-0 in the 92nd minute.
The match ended Sociedad’s two match losing streak whilst Sporting Huelva are now on four matches without a win.
Valencia turned around their season with an emphatic 3-0 win over hosts Levante Las Planas at the Camp Municipal Les Planes on Sunday afternoon.
The visitors took a first minute lead through forward Anita Marcos to set the ball rolling after being released by midfielder Anna Torrodà. The visitors doubled their lead after 67 minutes through forward Ascensión Martínez Salinas off an assist from midfielder Ainhoa Alguacil Amores.
Forward Ivonne Chacón put the icing on the cake with a third goal for her side with just six minutes left to play to ensure that they collected maximum points on the road.
The win moved Valencia to 24 points whilst Las Planas remained three points above relegation.
Results (Saturday): Villarreal 1-0 Alavés; Real Betis 1-3 Madrid CFF; Levante3-1 Alhama CF ElPozo; Real Madrid 2-1 Athletic Club
Results (Sunday): Atletico Madrid 1-1 Sevilla; Real Sociedad 4-0 Sporting Huelva; Levante Las Planas 0-3 Valencia; UDG Tenerife 0-6 Barcelona