Celta Vigo battle back to stalemate with Alaves in cagey encounter

Alaves 1-1 Celta Vigo

Alaves and Celta Vigo came into their Monday night clash knowing that defeat would sink them uncomfortably close to the relegation battle, but by the same virtue, a point did not do them any major favours either.

The match started off with a loud and boisterous Mendizorrotza, egged on by the opening goal inside 10 minutes. An early Alaves corner struck a Celta Vigo arm, and a penalty was awarded. Following on from his hat-trick last week, Kike Garcia stepped up to fire low into the corner to his left, with Vicente Guaita going the wrong way.

For much of the rest of the half, Alaves remained in control, slowing the game down and reducing the space in which Celta had to operate. Without being delighted with the performance on show, Chacho Coudet would have been happy with the situation.

On the other hand, Claudio Giraldez was intent on changing the game, sending on Williot Swedberg and Javier Rodriguez for Franco Cervi and Yoel Lago, the latter making just his second appearance for Celta in La Liga. It nearly paid immediate dividends, as a more aggressive Celta forced Jesus Owono into an excellent save from Swedberg.

With 66 minutes on the clock though, Celta did level. Working the ball down the left, Pablo Duran managed to drop off between midfield and defence into the hole, and received the ball in space. His touch from the pass inside looped into the air, but Duran struck a sweet volley into the corner, although Owono will be disappointed he could not turn it away having got a good hand to the ball.

With the Galician side now exercising more caution though, the game lost what it had had in terms of attacking intention, as both sides battled for the winner with the handbrake on. All three shots on target in the game had already occurred, and more than anything, the final stages were defined by frustration for both teams.

Coudet’s side now sit a point above Espanyol in the relegation zone, with Leganes, Espanyol, and Las Palmas around them all drawing too. Celta have four points on the Catalans, and will be unsure whether to look up or down, with just five points separating them from sixth spot, Giraldez’s side right in the middle in 13th.