LA LIGA: Morata strikes late to send Real Madrid top of La Liga

BARCELONA - A scrappy late finish by Alvaro Morata earned Real Madrid a 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao and allowed them to dislodge Atletico Madrid as La Liga leaders on Sunday after Diego Simeone's men went down 2-1 at Sevilla for their first defeat of the season.

The result proved costly for Atletico as they slipped to fifth in the standings, behind Real, Sevilla, Barcelona and Villarreal, 2-1 winners over Las Palmas thanks to Cedric Bakambu's injury time winner.

Former Juventus striker Morata bundled the ball into the net in the 83rd minute after Real had squandered several chances to retake the lead following Sabin Merino's equaliser for Athletic that cancelled out Karim Benzema's first-half opener.

Benzema knocked the ball through the legs of Athletic goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz to put Real ahead in the seventh minute after an impressive run and cut-back from Isco.

Athletic hit back later in the half when Javier Eraso pounced on indecisive Real defending to win the ball back in the box, quickly squaring for Merino to ram the ball home.

Inaki Williams skied a great chance to put Athletic ahead at the start of the second half although Real did most of the attacking after the break, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Mateo Kovacic all going close.

The European champions found their winner thanks to the persistence of Morata, who followed up after his shot was repelled by Iraizoz to give Real a third straight win in all competitions.

"We know we can never give up and today we kept our heads and got the three points, always remembering that this is football and you have to suffer," Real coach Zinedine Zidane told a news conference.

"We have to produce thorough performances in every game and play well because there won't be any easy games and we'll have to suffer until the end. That's the message I want to transmit."

Real Madrid lead the table on 21 points, while Sevilla are second on 20 after Steven Nzonzi's second-half strike gave them a 1-0 win over 10-man Atletico Madrid. Champions Barcelona are on 19 alongside Villarreal, while Atletico are on 18.

Former Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City midfielder Nzonzi skipped past Atletico's backline to latch onto a through ball from Atletico loanee Luciano Vietto to score in the 73rd minute and seal Sevilla's first win over Atletico in over six years.

Atletico and Spain midfielder Koke was dismissed for a second booking in the 77th minute. The visiting side almost snatched a late equaliser but defender Diego Godin's header went straight towards Sevilla goalkeeper Sergio Rico.

"I'm proud of the team, we had a lot of opportunities and the performance makes me very happy about the path we are on," said Sevilla coach Jorge Sampaoli.

"Nzonzi is not just here to put the brakes on the opposition but to create chances too as he did today. Vietto is contributing a lot of assists and we saw his contribution with the goal. I'm delighted with them both."

Kevin-Prince Boateng finished a sensational team move with a volley to put Las Palmas ahead in the first half at Villarreal but Italian forward Nicola Sansone levelled from the spot in the 64th, before Bakambu slammed in the winner in the 91st.

Earlier, Celta Vigo beat Deportivo La Coruna 4-1 in a local derby. Captain Hugo Mallo put Celta ahead in the 32nd minute only for Raul Albentosa to reply in the 37th.

Iago Aspas converted a penalty to restore Celta's lead on the hour mark and hit the final goal after standout player Fabian Orellana had struck the third.

Malaga thrashed Leganes 4-0.

(Reporting by Richard Martin, editing by Pritha Sarkar)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

LA LIGA: Rakitic header earns Barca victory in Bilbao

BARCELONA - Champions Barcelona came through a gruelling La Liga test at a rainswept San Mames on Sunday, beating Athletic Bilbao 1-0 thanks to Ivan Rakitic's first-half header.

Elsewhere, Las Palmas thrashed Granada 5-1 to top the table with six points from two matches ahead of Barca and Real Madrid on goal difference while Europa League holders Sevilla were held to a goalless draw at Villarreal.

Croatia midfielder Rakitic glanced in Arda Turan's cross to complete a sweeping move started by Luis Suarez and settle the visiting side's nerves after a few early scares, including goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen giving the ball away in his own area.

Barca grew in confidence after the break and stand-in captain Lionel Messi spurned two chances while Suarez also failed to capitalise on a couple of clear opportunities and had a shot cleared off the line in injury time.

Luis Enrique's men almost lived to regret their profligacy as Bilbao's Raul Garcia fired narrowly wide and Iker Muniain had a late penalty appeal turned down.

"I'm happy with the result against an opponent of such magnitude," Luis Enrique told a news conference.

"We could have wrapped the game up earlier but it was a good performance and the three points are well earned."

Luis Enrique had warned that the visit to San Mames was always one of the hardest away trips for Barca and although they looked comfortable at the start, they soon began to struggle with Bilbao's intense pressing and aggression.

Ter Stegen gave the visitors a fright when he played the ball straight to Benat Etxebarria but the keeper got his body in the way of the midfielder's shot and later made saves from Aritz Aduriz and Benat again.

RISKY STYLE

Jordi Alba defended the German's risky style, saying: "I wish all goalkeepers were like him, he's the best in the world with the ball at his feet, he's our goalkeeper for the present and will be for many years to come".

Barca jitters were calmed in the 21st minute when Rakitic was left unmarked in the area to nod Turan's centre into the corner.

Turkey international Turan spurned a chance to double the lead before the break, miskicking at the near post, the first of a series of opportunities that went begging for the champions.

Messi started to make an impact in the second half after a relatively quiet first period but twice missed the target.

The usually prolific Suarez also endured a frustrating evening in front of goal, inexplicably failing to convert the simplest of chances at the end, taking too long to shoot with the net gaping and seeing his shot scrambled off the line.

Las Palmas followed their 4-2 win at Valencia last week with a dominant display against Granada, Nabil El Zhar scoring twice in the 5-1 rout.

Midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng netted for the second game running after joining Las Palmas from AC Milan and dedicated his goal to the victims of last week's earthquake in Italy that has killed at least 290 people.

"I leapt off my seat at the goal because of the quality of the counter attack, the shot and because...he hit it with his heart," said coach Quique Setien.

In Sunday's other game, Alaves drew 0-0 at home to Sporting Gijon.

(Editing by Tony Jimenez)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com