Celta Vigo 1-1 Las Palmas
Las Palmas extended their winless run to 12 games on Monday night at Balaidos away to Celta Vigo, but both sides will have felt it was a missed opportunity for a major three points.
In the opening period, Borja Iglesias and Alfon Gonzalez drew saves from Jasper Cillessen, but for the most part, Las Palmas would have been happy with the opportunities that they restricted Celta to. It was in one of those half-chances that Cillessen went off with an abdominal injury, and was rushed to hospital thereafter. At the other end, Fabio Silva came close with a shot, and a Jose Campana free-kick called Vicente Guaita into action.
Until the brink of half-time that was, when the defence in yellow left Alfon Gonzalez too much space on the left side of the box. His curling effort saild out of reach for Cillessen’s replacement Dinko Horkas and into the corner.
However Las Palmas took just two minutes to return the favour in the second half. Shot out of a cannon, Oliver McBurnie’s ball across the box was left by a brilliant dummy from Silva for Alberto Moleiro to come onto, and slot into the corner for a beautiful equaliser.
The second half followed a similar pattern to the first, with the game taking place in Las Palmas’ half, but the away side were attacking with more aggression now. With 20 minutes to go, a save low down to Guaita’s left rebounded to Silva in the box, who took the ball smartly on his chest and volleyed it back between Guaita’s legs. Much to the fury of Diego Martinez during and after the game, it was ruled out for a controversial offside call in the build-up.
Although Celta were undoubtedly having the better of the game, and Horkas got down smartly to beat away some venomous efforts from Marcos Alonso amongst others, they Galicians never got the clear sight of goal they wanted in the second half. Even the flicks and drops of the shoulder from Iago Aspas weren’t coming off, a sign of resolute Las Palmas defending and Claudio Giraldez’s frustration.
The game ended as such, and Las Palmas remain 19th, a point off safety, but feeling that Silva disallowed goal was a golden ticket out of it, snatched from their hands. Celta move up to eighth, level on points with and sandwiched between RCD Mallorca and Rayo Vallecano. They will know that a European race will require victories in games like these though.
