Primera Iberdrola Week 14 Round Up: Real Sociedad and Atletico Madrid recover as Real Madrid show character in derby

Real Sociedad won the Basque derby 3-2 against Eibar in a five-goal thriller on Saturday at the Unbe Sports Complex.

Eibar opened the scoring in the sixth minute through midfielder Aida Esteve’s shot from outside the box which goalkeeper Elena Lete could not handle.

Midfielder Gaby Garcia equalised 12 minutes later after she finished off a corner kick from defender Nuria Rabano.

The home side took the lead again in the 25^thminute through forward Arola Aparicio before the visitors drew level in the 33rd minute through winger Amaiur Sarriegi with an assist from fellow attacker Sanni Franssi.

It was forward Mirari Uria who had the last say in the match with a header in the 74th minute from a free kick taken by defender Nuria Rabano to make it 3-2.

The win consolidated their second position on the log standings and strengthened their chances of playing Champions League football next season.

Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid beat Real Betis 6-1 at the Wanda Sports Centre on Saturday to keep pressure on second position and UEFA Champions League spots.

The home side opened the scoring in the 10^thminute through forward Rasheedat Ajibade to set the ball rolling.

The hosts were pegged back in the 17th minute through defender Paula Perea’s equaliser. The equaliser set the tone for an entertaining duel which, however, ended up being one sided.

The hosts regained the lead in the 34th minute through midfielder Leicy Maria Santos Herrera, off a midfielder Maitane Lopez Millan assist.

Forward Rasheedat Ajibade got her second goal of the match one minute into first half added time and the hosts had a two-goal cushion going to the break.

The home side came back stronger in the second half and got their fourth goal in the 69th minute through defender Barbara Latorre.

The hosts rounded off their win with goals from substitutes forwards Thembi Kgatlana and Ludmila da Silva in the 83rd and 89th minutes respectively to make it 6-1 to the visitors.

The win was a relief for the hosts as it enhanced their fight for Champions League football next season having drawn in their last match.

Barcelona run away as Real Madrid secure bragging rights in local derby

Defending champions Barcelona made it 14 out of 14 after they hammered struggling Rayo Vallecano 4-0 at the Estadi Johan Cruyff on Saturday.

The home side showed signs of fatigue in the first half due to their involvement in the UEFA Women’s Champions League midweek against Koge but upped the gear in the last 10 minutes of the second half to score three more goals.

They got the ball rolling in the 15th minute when defender Jana Fernandez got the opener.

Substitute defender Melanie Serrano got the second for the hosts ten minutes from time on her 499th appearance for Barcelona with defender Marta Torrejon providing the assist.

Forward Jennie Hermoso then made it 3-0 in the 87th minute from the penalty spot.

Midfielder Aitana Bonmati rounded off the scoring in the 93rd minute to make it 4-0 to the hosts with an assist from defender Ana Crnogorcevic.

The win took Barcelona to 42 points and opened an 11-point gap at the top as the reigning champions consolidated their chances of retaining the title.

Real Madrid scored twice in stoppage time to complete a 3-1 comeback victory over city rivals Madrid CFF on Sunday.

Madrid CFF played with high intensity in the first half and were duly rewarded in the 36th minute when forward Kerolin Nicoli Israel Ferraz pounced on a pass from defender Itziar Pinillos to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.

The visitors trailed and continued to struggle after the break and had midfielder Olga Garcia Carmona forced off due to injury in the 67th minute.

It was in the 78th minute that they found the equaliser after winning a corner kick which was swung in by forward Claudia Zornoza and was met by fellow forward Esther Gonzalez Rodriguez’s head into the back of the net.

Real Madrid pushed for the winner after the equaliser but it would not come until late into the match.

In added time, forward Athenea del Castillo cut in on her right foot and curled a stunner into the top corner.

With the last kick of the match, Esther Gonzalez completed her brace seven minutes into second half extra time to hand her side a 3-1 victory over their city rivals.

The win saw Real Madrid being tied on 20 points with their city rivals.

Valencia claims the Valencia derby

Valencia beat hosts Villarreal 2-0 in the Valencia derby played at the Mini Estadi in Castellon on Saturday.

The home side dominated the first half but could not find a breakthrough with the match going to the break goalless.

Defender Marta Carro had a goal disallowed for the visitors after the referee adjudged that she had fouled an opponent in the build-up to the goal.

However, Andrea Esteban’s side broke the deadlock seven minutes from time through midfielder Olga Nicolas, who had barely lasted a minute on the pitch after coming on as a second half substitute.

Forward Candela Andujar wrapped up the match when she scored the second goal for the visitors four minutes later to claim the three points.

The win lifted Valencia from fourteenth to twelfth on the log standings and boosted their chances of surviving relegation at the end of the season.

The queens of draws . . . draw again

Sporting Huelva registered a goalless draw on Saturday against Sevilla at La Orden.

After fourteen games this campaign, the hosts have registered nine draws while the visitors have recorded six.

The only chance of the match was a shot from the edge of the box from forward Hannah Keane that crashed off the crossbar.

The hosts finished the match with ten women after midfielder Vanesa Santana was shown a straight red card in the 92^nd minute for a tackle on Sevilla midfielder Inma Gabarro.

In another draw which played out, Alaves and Levante recorded a one-all impasse on Sunday to take their draws to four each this season.

The home side found themselves trailing after 27 minutes when forward Alba Maria Redondo Ferrer pounced on a pass from fellow forward Giovanna Crivelari.

The hosts came back a determined side and found the equaliser 11 minutes into the second half through midfielder Gema Soliveres.

The result ensured that Alaves stayed in sixth position after Madrid CFF lost to their local rivals Real Madrid earlier on Sunday.

Athletic’s ‘jinx’ continues in Tenerife

UDG Tenerife beat visitors Athletic Club 2-0 in La Palmera, extending their dominance over the lionesses who have never won on different visits to Tenerife.

After a goalless first half, the home side came back a determined side and registered two quick goals through forwards Maria Jose Perez Gonzalez and Cristina Martin-Prieto Gutierrez in the 46th and 51st minutes respectively.

The win took Tenerife to within three points of third placed Atletico Madrid who are on 28 points from the same number of games.

The defeat saw Athletic Club drop to fifth position, exchanging positions with Tenerife who moved to fourth.

The home side have managed four wins in their last five matches.

Results (Saturday): Eibar 2-3 Real Sociedad; Atletico Madrid 6-1 Real Betis; Barcelona 4-0 Rayo Vallecano; Sporting Huelva 0-0 Sevilla; Villarreal 0-2 Valencia; Granadilla Tenerife 2-0 Athletic Club

Results (Sunday): Madrid CFF 1-3 Real Madrid; Alaves 1-1 Levante

(Photo by Diego Souto/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)