SPANISH FOOTBALL - LIGA - ROUND 5 SUNDAY GAMES RESULTS

Spanish Football continued this Sunday with four games scheduled in Round 5 of Liga. Hard fought games that ended up very equal & with goalkeepers being protagonists. Here are all the final results - scores plus all the goalscorers.

Granada held out Real Betis in the "Andalusia Derby" finishing their clash with a 0 - 0 draw. Granada goalkeeper Roberto was the star stopping everything that Betis fired at him especially towards the end of the game when Betis went all out looking for the victory. Shared points.

Tough & rugged encounter between Celta de Vigo & in form Villarreal with another game that finished in a 0 - 0 draw. Here as with the Granada - Betis clash, the goalkeepers were the main actors. In this particular game Celta goalie Yoel was the outstanding player saving his team & halting that the three points travel to Villarreal. Villarreal on the other hand will be disappointed that they could not convert their opportunities.

City of Madrid derby between Real Madrid which hosted neighbours Getafe. In the end the match finished in a relative comfortable 4 - 1 win for Real Madrid. The fans filled the "Santiago Bernabeu Stadium" to see Gareth Bale debut but unfortunately the Welshman injured himself ( thigh strain ) during the warm-up & was substituted by Isco who was excellent tonight. Real Madrid Coach Ancelotti rested Sergio Ramos & Modric ( came on late in the match ) perhaps thinking in the up coming mid-week Liga game against Elche.

Getafe scored first in the 4th min by a Latifa "power driver" that caught Real Madrid cold. Slowly & progressively the home team began working the gears & players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Di Maria, Carvajal & Isco began "greasing" the engine.

Real Madrid defender Pepe equalized in the 18th min & later Cristiano Ronaldo converted a penalty ( hand ball from a free-kick ) in the 33rd min. The second half saw Real Madrid continue to control & advance & a quickly taken free-kick by Ronaldo found Isco who fired in the third in the 58th min. The last goal was a gem, Cristiano Ronaldo back-heeled a goal from a Khedira pass in the 93rd min that brought the stadium down. 

Karim Benzema had a "nightmare" game, not because he played badly, because the forward is going through an unfortunate "dry spell" were absolutely nothing goes well or in the net. The Frenchmen missed opportunities & some "sitters" that in normal conditions would have been goal. He was substitute for Morata & was applauded in order to lift his spirits. 

Big match between Valencia CF & Sevilla FC with the home side under immense pressure after the Europa League loss mid week & the fan "mini-revolt" that put Coach Djukic on the ropes.  Intense match tonight between both teams with some strong physical actions during the encounter. Valencia lifted to the occasion & managed to clean their image & reconcile themselves with their fan base after winning 3 - 1.

The Valencia goals came from Jonas with two - 32nd & 73rd min - & Victor Ruiz in the 82nd min. Sevilla FC was in the match up to the 73rd min having equalized before in the 51st min with Gameiro.

Second victory for Valencia in Liga & some much needed oxygen for them after a very difficult & stressing week.

Monday Night Round 5 game:
RCD Espanyol - Athletic Club Bilbao