News
DOM 04.09.2016
Athletic Club 2-0 Albacete
At long last 3 September 2016 was upon us and everything was in place for the start of the Liga Iberdrola season. However, before the action would get underway, there was time for the reigning champions of the Women's First Division to take to the pitch and parade their championship trophy in front of their fans. Albacete were the visitors and they were in town looking to spoil Las Leonas' party, and they very nearly managed to do just that. In the first half, it was Athletic who enjoyed the better of the chances, but the visitors held firm and some resolute defending saw the sides go in all square at the break. However, the second half would pan out rather differently, as a severely depleted Athletic side came out all guns blazing in a clear expression of their desire to get their title defence off to a winning start. Eunate Arraiza and Lucia Garcia, who opened her Athletic account on her league debut, struck the first goals of the Liga Iberdrola season to guide the Bilbao outfit to victory and secure their first three points of the campaign.
Atletico Madrid 2-0 Rayo Vallecano
Atletico, who are another of the sides sure to be in the mix come the end of the season, also got their campaign up and running with a win. Whilst season openers are traditionally known to be tricky, Las Rojiblancas were handed a particularly difficult fixture against city rivals, Rayo. In the first half, the hosts were guilty of some wayward finishing, and when they did manage to hit the target, they found Alicia Ali Gomez in inspired form in the Rayo goal. It wasn't until the 37th minute that the hosts broke the deadlock and when the goal did come, it was usual suspect Sonia Bermudez who was on the scoresheet. The opener changed the flow of the game and Atletico began to turn on the style, as they showcased their intentions to challenge for title honours this season. As the clock ticked down, the hosts failed to create any further chances of note, with the nearest they came to extending their advantage being an Esther Gonzalez (Estefa) strike, which narrowly missed the target. In injury time, Maria Pilar Leon (Mapi) nodded home to round off a fine win.
VCF Femenino 5-0 T. Alcaine ZGZ
Valencia served up a goal fest in their Liga Iberdrola opener, in a showing in which Cristian Toro's charges laid down an early statement of intent. Alcaine provided Las Che with a stern test, but the hosts cruised to victory, with a performance which saw them produce some of their finest football. Whilst there may have been a host of changes at Valencia this summer, on this evidence the existing members of Toro's squad can still be relied on to produce the goods. Both Mari Paz Vilas, who bagged a hat-trick, and Carol Ferez were instrumental in this win. Elsewhere, Maya Yamamoto made the best possible start to her Valencia career by netting her side's first goal of the campaign. The Japanese midfielder met a Ferez cross from the left to open the scoring with 11 minutes on the clock. In a game in which the hosts displayed their title aspirations, the new signings slotted in seamlessly, with several of the debutants impressing on their bows. Toro named a starting XI with a midfield four of Debora Garcia, Yamamoto, Claudia Zornoza and Ferez and it proved to be a masterstroke. Alcaine defended stoutly in the first half and limited the hosts to a narrow 1-0 advantage. However, the second period belonged well and truly to Valencia and Mari Paz who found the net on 46, 64 and 75 minutes to set the early pace in the division's goalscoring charts. Marta Peiro also got in on the act to make it 5-0 and complete the rout.
Santa Teresa CD 3-0 Tacuense
Tacuense were unable to claim victory in their top-flight bow, but the league's newcomers did show some glimpses of quality, as they went toe-to-toe with a strong-looking Santa Teresa outfit. However, it was the Badajoz-based side who ultimately went on to claim their first three points of the season. The action got off to a frenetic start, which saw both sides make a number of mistakes. Santa Teresa's first chance fell to Vania Martins, whilst at the other end, Emmeline Mainguy nearly edged Tacuense ahead with a chipped effort. As the game wore on, Santa Teresa began to dictate proceedings and just after the 15-minute mark, Maria de los Angeles Martin (Chica) struck to put the hosts into the ascendancy. Just minutes before half-time, Estefania Lima (Estefa) stepped up to fire home from the spot to double the hosts' advantage. After the restart, Tacuense pushed forward in search of a goal, but instead Lima was again on target to make it 3-0, powering home a fine cross to put the result beyond all doubt.
Oiartzun KE 0-0 Espanyol
This encounter produced the first goalless stalemate of the season, as those in attendance at the Karla Lekuona stadium were treated to a high-octane contest in which neither side were ultimately able to make a breakthrough. The Basque outfit dominated throughout but were unable to finish their chances and had to settle for a share of the spoils against a strong Espanyol side. The Catalans toiled away and really went for it in the second half, but it just wasn't meant to be. The game ended scoreless and in the final reckoning both sides will probably reflect on this one as a good result.
Levante 0-0 Real Sociedad
This meeting between the sides that finished fourth and fifth last term produced a thrilling encounter which ultimately failed to muster any goals. The players took to the pitch in stifling heat, which saw the referee call various water breaks during the course of the game. Both teams came close to stealing all three points on several occasions. For the hosts, Veronica Charlyn and Nerea Perez looked the likeliest to trouble the La Real backline, whilst the Levante defence had to keep close tabs on Manuela Lareo. The game ended all square and it remains to be seen whether both sides will look back on this one as a point gained or two points dropped come the end of the season.
UD Granadilla Egatesa 0-4 FC Barcelona
Barcelona laid down a real marker with an emphatic win in Tenerife. Granadilla Egatesa put up a fight and were very much in the game in the first half, but Las Azulgranas proved too strong after the break. Last season's runners-up had already sounded a warning to their rivals after making a raft of impressive summer signings and they confirmed their credentials with an utterly dominant display here. Barça will be keen to claim some silverware this time round, after ending last season empty-handed. The sides served up a goalless first half, but the whole complexion of the game changed after the break. Right after the restart, Jenni Hermoso once again displayed her goalscoring prowess to edge the Catalans ahead. The floodgates then opened as Olga Garcia struck a quick-fire brace in the space of just eight minutes with goals on 51' and 59'. Barcelona went on to evidence all of their cutting edge and Irene del Rio compounded the hosts' misery to complete the rout with two minutes to go.
FINAL!@UDGTenerife - @FCBfemeni (0-4)
— FCB Femení (@FCBfemeni) September 4, 2016
@Jennihermoso (46') @Olga_Garcia11 (51', 59') @delri10 (88')#FCBlive pic.twitter.com/MFfmGpAE1U
Real Betis 3-4 Sporting Huelva
This game marked the first all-Andalusian clash of the season, as Betis and Huelva served up a pulsating contest. Both teams poured forward in attack in an opening half which saw Paula Moreno hit a double. The hosts' first ever goal in the top flight came when Moreno converted from the spot to make it 1-0. Just seven minutes later, she was on the mark again to double Betis's lead. However, the visitors weren't going to give in just yet, and they clawed themselves back into the game when Maria Teresa Albarran (Maite) turned the ball home from a corner. With the second period barely underway, Juliete Silva produced a sumptuous chipped effort to draw Huelva level. Cristina Martin-Prieto then struck to put the visitors ahead, but Paula Moreno notched her third of the match to restore parity. However, that wasn't it in terms of goalscoring action, after the impressive Patri Sochor fired home to once again restore Huelva's lead. The excitement was reaching fever pitch at this point and Betis had their chances to equalise, whilst at the other end Martin-Prieto could have finished it, but ultimately this frenetic game ended in victory for the visitors.
© LALIGA - 2016