Red mist falls on La Liga clash
Despite two red cards Sevilla jump second in La Liga as Valencia lose first game of season during red-blooded affair.
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| Valencia’s forward Aritz Aduriz was one of three players to be red carded during clash with Sevilla [AFP] |
Frederic Kanoute’s first-half goal gave nine-man Sevilla a 1-0 win over 10-man Valencia in a heated contest between the two Spanish rivals on Saturday.
It was Valencia’s first loss of the season and prevented them from leap-frogging Real Betis to top La Liga.
Kanoute scored the winner in the 18th minute at Sanchez Pizjuan stadium when he finished off a counter attack from inside the area after being set up by winger Jesus Navas.
Sevilla’s Piotr Trochowski was sent off for a second booking in the 57th and defender Julien Escude followed 11 minutes later for a foul on Aritz Aduriz in the area.
However, Valencia midfielder Ever Banega hit the post with the resulting penalty, and Aduriz was sent off shortly after for a stamp on defender Emir Spahic.
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“We suffered a lot with nine players. They began to attack but fortunately they missed the penalty” Sevilla keeper Javi Varas |
Valencia’s top scorer Roberto Soldado came on late and only a diving save by Sevilla goalkeeper Javi Varas kept the striker from snatching another.
“We suffered a lot with nine players. They began to attack but fortunately they missed the penalty,” said Varas.
“It is a positive result.”
Sevilla’s third win lifted them into second place, one point behind leader and crosstown rival Real Betis.
Also Saturday, Villarreal drew 1-1 at 10-man Athletic Bilbao.
Villarreal striker Nilmar canceled out Igor Gabilondo’s 43rd-minute opener when Giuseppe Rossi raced down the left side and crossed for him to tap in at the far post four minutes after the restart.
Bilbao went down to 10 men after defender Borja Ekiza was shown a second yellow card midway through the second half, but the visitors couldn’t take advantage of the extra player.
Bilbao remain winless in five Spanish league games under new coach Marcelo Bielsa.
Victories for Barca and Real
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo both hit hat-tricks as Barcelona and Real Madrid went on a Spanish goal rampage, shrugging off worryingly lacklustre midweek performances.
Argentine magician Messi registered his 12th career hat-trick in a Barcelona shirt in a 5-0 mauling of Atletico Madrid as the defending champions moved into second place in the table, a point behind Real Betis.
Messi, who also hit three in the 8-0 rout of Sporting Gijon last weekend, leads La Liga goalscoring charts with eight, one in front of Portuguese star Ronaldo whose hat-trick came in the 6-2 defeat of Rayo Vallecano.
Real are in fourth place, one point behind Barcelona and third-placed Sevilla.