Copa del Rey

Fourth round, first leg

The last four cup ties took place on Thursday, with first division teams coming out on top. Real Sociedad have set their eyes on the competition this season, and Eusebio put out a full strength line up against Valladolid. With only six minutes gone Iñigo Martínez put the visitors ahead after an effort by Raúl Navas was blocked following a corner, but a few minutes later Mata equalized from the penalty spot after Rulli brought him down in the area. Mata hit the bar soon afterwards and Carlos Vela had a strike ruled out for a questionable offside before the break. However with an hour on the clock Juanmi got on the end of a Carlos Martínez cross to restore the lead, and some fifteen minutes later the ex Málaga and Southampton forward got his second from Illarramendi’s assist to make it 1-3 in the end. Athletic Bilbao meanwhile notched up a 1-2 victory at Racing Santander, a side they have met many times in the top flight, but who are currently languishing in the second division B. Valverde included Raúl García and Aduríz in his starting eleven as both are suspended for next weekend’s league game, and within ten minutes Raúl García got the opener after Raúl Domínguez saved from Laporte. However Javi Cobo made it all square a few minutes later after Coulibaly’s cross came to him in front of goal, and although Raúl García put the visitors back in front soon afterwards with a header from Susaeta’s cross, the result was in doubt until the final whistle.

Alavés are virtually sure of going through as well after a 0-3 win at Nàstic. Toquero headed the first following a corner on the quarter hour mark, and a few minutes in to the second half the ex Athletic striker made it two on a rapid counter-attack. Soon afterwards Christian Santos scored a third, referee Jaime Latre waving away appeals that he had knocked the ball in with his hand after Saja saved his first effort, and visiting keeper Ortolá made a couple of saves late on to stop the Catalans from getting back in the match. Huesca were the only second division team to put up anything of a fight on Thursday, the Aragón based side coming back from two goals down to draw 2-2 against Las Palmas. Asdrúbal put the Canary Islanders ahead from the penalty spot after he was fouled by keeper Queco Piña in the tenth minute, and Hernán made it two with a shot which looped off a defender in to the net some eight minutes after the restart. However the hosts came back with headed goals by Camacho and Aguilar, and only Raúl Lizoain and the woodwork prevented Anquela’s side from snatching a win. Even so Las Palmas must still be favourites to go through, and, barring major surprises in the return legs in three weeks’ time, only Córdoba from the lower ranks have any real chance of making it through to the last sixteen. (01.12.16)

Another seven first-leg ties on Wednesday evening, Atlético Madrid beating regional second division B side Guijuelo 0-6 to assure their place in the last sixteen. The match was switched to nearby Salamanca to allow more supporters in, but their team was over-run, Saúl opening the scoring from the penalty spot on the half hour mark after Carrasco fell under a challenge from Héctor. With half time approaching Thomas set up Vrsaljko to score the second with a first time volley, and in the first twelve minutes or so after the restart Carrasco scored twice from Correa and Saúl assists, and Correa himself added a fifth. Simeone brought on three youngsters after that, Rober Nuñez, Juan Moreno and Olabe, and with six minutes to go Rober completed the “set” after connecting with Vrsaljko’s cross. A depleted Barcelona struggled though against Hércules, the Alicante based side going ahead before the Catalans saved a 1-1 draw in the end. Cillessen had to save from José Gaspar a couple of times from José Gaspar either side of half time, and some seven minutes in to the second half Mainz got on the end of a Salinas cross to chest the ball past the Dutch keeper. However six minutes later Spanish youth team captain Carles Aleñà (making his first team debut) fired a long shot past Buigues to save face for the visitors.

Luis Enrique’s side should be able to turn things around though in the second leg, but Málaga are in trouble after they lost 2-0 at neighbours Córdoba. Both goals came in the last twenty minutes, Rodri opening the scoring for the second division team with an individualist effort, and Borja Domínguez making it two after Moha’s effort was blocked. It was a great start for new coach Luis Carrión, who was promoted from the B team after José Luis Oltra was fired last weekend. No other surprises though, Sevilla for example hammering the only remaining third division side Formentera 1-5. An enthusiastic crowd turned up in the tiny island off the coast of Ibiza, but within 14 seconds any hopes of a miracle were dashed when Liñán gave away a penalty on Joaquín Correa, Ben Yedder tucking away the resulting spot kick. By half time Correa had notched up a hat-trick for himself, the first from a headed Iborra pass, the second from another Iborra assist and the third with a shot on the turn, although the locals did have something to cheer when Gabri latched on to Ojeda’s pass to get one back. With a quarter of an hour to go though Ben Yedder completed the scoring with another penalty, once again won by the star of the night, Correa.

Villarreal meanwhile won 0-3 at Toledo, a relief for Fran Escribá after three games without a victory for the “Yellow Submarine”. Within twenty minutes the visitors went two up, Adrián Jiménez turning a Cheryshev cross in to his own net under pressure from Santos Borré, and Bakambu scoring the second from another Cheryshev centre. Onésimo’s team had no reply, and Samu Castillejo wrapped things up with an angled shot past Manolo with three minutes left on the clock. Celta are also on track for a place in the next round after they beat UCAM Murcia 0-1. The only goal came just before the break, Roncaglia and Cabral setting up fellow defender Sergi Gómez, although the hosts came close to saving the draw when they hit the post from a Góngora corner. Only one all-first division tie on Wednesday, Granada beating Osasuna 1-0 to clock up their first victory of the season. With their teams languishing at the bottom of the table, both coaches put out much changed line-ups. Jon Toral got what was to prove the only goal though with a shot from outside of the area early on in the second half. (30.11.16)

First division sides enter the cup this week, with seven of them kicking off their first leg ties on Tuesday night. Valencia were first up at Leganés, and they are looking good for a place in the last sixteen after a 1-3 win. Munir picked up a Montoya assist to open the scoring in only the third minute, and Alvaro Medrán headed the second from another Montoya cross midway through the first half. Machís ran through to pull one back with an hour on the clock, but with the game coming to an end Bakkali cut in from left of the area to poke the third past Brignoli. Eibar also won 1-2 away at Sporting Gijón, Bebé giving them the lead with an angled shot in off the post in the first minute. Later in the first half Yoel saved a Viguera penalty after Juncà handled in the area, but the forward made up for his mistake after the restart, heading the equalizer from a Carlos Castro centre. Kike García headed against the bar though at the other end, and with two minutes to go Rubén Peña netted the winner after Juncà crossed in from the left.

Alcorcón were the only second division side to play on Tuesday, and they kept their hopes alive with a 1-1 draw at home to Espanyol. Both coaches packed their line-ups with reserve players, but the locals got the better start, visiting keeper Roberto having to make a couple of saves from Aguza and Alvaro Rey before the break. Some five minutes in to the second half Oscar Plano set up Alvaro Giménez for the opener, and it was not until six minutes from the end that substitutes Leo Baptistao and José Antonio Reyes combined for the later to level the scores. Meanwhile Betis beat Deportivo 1-0 in the last tie of the evening, revenge for local coach Víctor Sánchez del Amo who was released by the Galicians in the summer. Sarabia headed in Durmisi’s cross in the twentieth minute, and Luisinho blocked a shot from Felipe Gutiérrez with the keeper beaten soon afterwards. Sidnei and Joselu headed chances wide after that, but the Andalusians held on to get the edge over their rivals for the second leg in three weeks’ time. (29.11.16)

Real Madrid all but mathematically secured their place in the next round of the cup after they hammered Cultural Leonesa 1-7 on Wednesday evening.The first leg tie was brought forward by five weeks to make space for Madrid to play in December’s Club World Cup, and although Zidane left several big names at home the replacements were more than a match for the regional second division B side. Ronaldo, Bale and Benzema in particular were rested, but the line up still included eleven full internationals, including seven from Spain. The locals though currently top their regional group, and a capacity crowd turned up hoping for a surprise. However with only six minutes gone Zuiverloon turned a Kroos free kick in to his own net, and Kroos hit the bar before Marco Asensio latched on to a Lucas Vázquez cross to make it two with half an hour gone. Just a minute after the restart Morata scored the third after James put him through, and Asensio and Morata added two more in the next ten minutes with assists from Isco and James. And midway through the second half Nacho fired home the goal of the night, a spectacular scissors kick past Palatsí from a James centre. The locals kept going though, and Gallar in particular brought a good save out of Kiko Casillas before Benja connected with a Forniés centre to give the crowd something to cheer about. Substitue Mariano headed the seventh though from a Lucas cross in injury time, and the fiasco of Madrid’s early elimination from last season’s competition for fielding an inelgible player is now well and truly forgotten. (26.10.16)