Competition news
REVIEW: RECREATIVO 1 - DEPORTIVO 1 (LIGA)
13 Jan 2007
The draw in Huelva is demonstrating that year 2007 has started with good sensations for Deportivo. Caparr??s's team suffered during the first half, but after the extraordinary goal of Arizmendi, everything changed. The second part was a different story and Depor was near to achieving its first away win in la liga, but it wasn't possible since the Galicians failed several occasions to score the second goal.
Caparr??s decided to continue with the 4-4-2 formation that has given him good results during the last two matches. More concretely, he sent the same starting eleven that defeated Real Madrid last weekend, while Lopo and Valer??n were on the bench. In Recreativo, the main news was that Sinama Pongolle started on the bench, his place was taken by Javi Guerrero. Before the game started, both teams spent one minute in silence as a tribute to the Recreativo fans that died in a car accident at the end of the past year.
FIRST HALF
Recreativo started the actions with the clear intention of wining the game. Deportivo had troubles to manage the fast attacks of the home side, and soon the first goal arrived (minute 12). Santi Cazorla received the ball on the right wing, and he sent a cross that Javi Guerrero slightly touched into the far post of Aouate.
The Andalucians weren't satisfied with the 1-0 advantage, and they continued trying to increase the lead. Defender Beto and midfielder Jes??s V??zquez were near to doing it, but they failed in their attempts. Depor seemed lost during the first nineteen minutes, but everything changed in one single play.
Aouate sent a long ball that Riki won just offside of Recreativo's penalty area, then the ball was controlled by Javier Arizmendi with his chest, later the Madrilian sent a powerful shot that touched the ground in front of goalkeeper L??pez Vallejo just to end in the bottom right corner of the net.
The goal affected Recreativo's attitude and Deportivo started to enjoy of more possession over the ball. After the equalising goal, the only clear chance for the home side was for Uche, but the effort of the Nigerian was saved by Aouate with one hand. Depor responded with a clear chance for Cristian. The Catalan ran with the ball on the left wing, and sent a shot that went near to the right post. Half-time arrived with a deserved draw for both sides.
SECOND HALF
This time it was Deportivo who dominated the actions, while Recreativo had difficulties to create troubles to Aouate. In fact, they didn't enjoy any clear occasion to score during the second part of the game. But neither Depor enjoyed those chances during the first fifteen minutes.
Estoyanoff had to leave the pitch after the Uruguayan suffered a foul from Poli. The response of Caparr??s was the introduction of Joan Verd??, the Catalan reappeared again in la liga and this time he played as right winger, a mission that he fulfilled with brilliance. Later Caparr??s sent Taborda to the pitch, the Uruguayan replaced Cristian. But the 4-4-2 formation didn't change too much, Riki started to play as left winger and the duo Arizmendi-Taborda started to search the goal of the victory.
The local coach, Marcelino, tried to react with the introduction of Sinama Pongolle replacing Uche, but no reaction was saw in Recreativo. In fact, it was Depor who had the goal in three clear opportunities. The first one was a cross of Verd?? that Taborda headed into Lop?©z Vallejo's hands. The second one was for Riki, the Madrilian sent a shot that the same keeper deflected into a corner-kick.
But the most clear chance of the night was for Arizmendi. A new long ball ended with Taborda sending a pass to Arizmendi on the right wing, the Madrilian was alone and ran 30-meters just to send the ball out when L??pez Vallejo was defeated on the ground. The game ended with the sensation that Depor should have conquered a better result.
AFTER THE GAME
It's just the second draw for Recreativo in this liga season, and the point achieved should be considered as good for Depor. But the result left also a bitter taste in Deportivo's mouth since the first away win in la liga was closer than ever, maybe more than in the 1-1 draw with Betis. Now Deportivo occupies the 14th spot with 21 points.
The first round will end next weekend with RCD Espanyol visiting Riazor. It should be a match that would decided the real aspirations for the present season. The relegation zone is just five points away, but the European places are also near (9 points difference with the sixth place). But before that, Depor has to play the second-leg in copa del rey against Mallorca (Wednesday 20h00).
MATCH STATISTICS
Recreativo: L??pez Vallejo - Merino, Beto, Poli, Cazorla - Arzo, Jes??s V??zquez, Viqueira (Barber 82'), Aitor (Juanma 67') - Javi Guerrero, Uche (Sinama Pongolle 67').
Deportivo: Aouate - Manuel Pablo, Andrade, Arbeloa, Capdevila - Estoyanoff (Verd?? 58'), De Guzm??n, Duscher, Cristian (Taborda 68') - Riki, Arizmendi (Valer??n 90+1')
Goals: 1-0: (12') Javi Guerrero, 1-1 (19') Arizmendi.
Referee: Mu?±iz Fern??ndez. He showed yellow card to Poli (36'), Arizmendi (37'), Jes??s V??zquez (63'), Andrade (80'), L??pez Vallejo (86') and Verd?? (89').
Venue: Nuevo Colombino (18,000).
Match statistics: Ball possession: (51% - 49%); Shots: (11 - 14); Shots on goal: (2 - 4); Corner-kicks: (6 - 2); Off-sides: (0 - 1); Fouls: (20 - 18)