RC Deportivo La Coruna - Forza Depor :: Fudbal ~ Kladionica ~ Fantasy ~ Navijaci

REVIEW: DEPORTIVO 0 - 2 CELTA VIGO (LA LIGA) Smile

30 Apr 2006 -- Celta broke the spell that has kept them from scoring against the Galicians in the last three encounters and won for the first time in twelve years at the Riazor. Celta now fight for a place in the Champions League, while Depor are all but out of Europe.

BEFORE THE MATCH
The defensive troubles of Deportivo seemed to be solved by the recovery of Hector, the right back being the sole doubt before the derby. With Manuel Pablo and Cesar missing, Caparros was left with only one substitute, Romero, but the Utrera-born coach could start the match with his best defensive line-up.

In the midfield, Caparros chose the same players that have been regular starters, with Munitis and Victor being responsible for the offensive charges on the wings, while Iago and Arizmendi would star in their first Galician derby.

For Fernando Vasquez, there were few doubts before the match. Coming after a row of four victories in five matches, Celta's coach decided to use the same lineup that defeated Zaragoza in the last matchday. Baiano and Cannobio would be the references in the attack for the team from Vigo.

THE FIRST HALF
Deportivo took the initiative in the first minutes of the match, showing a determination that is characteristic for this derby. And in the fourth minute, Victor gave a first warning with a long range shot that rattled the wood. Celta's response was almost immediate, with Lequi's header ending in Molina's hands after a cross from Angel. Shortly after it was Cannobio who finished off a Baiano cross, but his shot went wide.

After the initial charges of the two teams, the fight moved to the midfield, where Duscher's good performance gave Deportivo an edge. But Arizmendi couldn't create any danger in front while Iago was frequently brought down by Celta's defense. In the end it was Celta that managed to score from a set piece, against the team that ironically has the best Liga record in this area. First it was Larena's freekick that forced Molina to send the ball into a corner, and then it was Baiano who connected with the ball only for Silva to push it in from close range.

Deportivo got back in the attack, trying to level the score before half time, and it was again Victor who proved to be the most dangerous player, before Fernando Vasquez was sent out by the referee for continous protests.

THE SECOND HALF
Deportivo continued to look for an equalizer from the beginning of the second half, but couldn't put much pressure on the visitors. Finally, Caparros had to make some changes to refresh his attack, and brought in Tristan for Arizmendi, then minutes later Ruben and Gallardo. But it was Celta who proved more dangerous on the counterattack, and Duscher barely cleared a ball that would have left Molina alone with Cannobio.

And as the match was drawing to an end, Depor were dealt another blow when Coloccini was sent off for a second booking ten minutes from time. Still, Deportivo could have levelled the score, but Juanma and Tristan couldn't defeat Pinto with their headers. At the other end, Perera sentenced the match with only few minutes reamining and Celta held on to the result to achieve a historic win at the Riazor.

AFTER THE MATCH
Celta asserted themselves as strong candidates for the Champions League positions, being now only two points away from the fourth spot. They will now wait for the result between Osasuna and Real to better gauge their chances, although the UEFA Cup participation is assured. Depor on the other hand are in a most difficult situation, with Atletico and Getafe only two points away and with a match in hand. Sevilla will also meet Real Sociedad tonight and a win of the Sevillans would sentence Depor to another season outside Europe.

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