Valladolid (Spain), Nov 10 (IANS) Real Valladolid on Saturday played to a goalless draw against Eibar, who played the last quarter hour with 10 players as Spanish central defender Anaitz Arbillas was shown a red card in La Liga football action.
Both teams lacked goals, but not intensity, from the beginning as Valladolid managed to break through Eibar’s defensive pressure to put the local fans on their feet just seven minutes into the first half, reports Efe.
It was Valladolid’s Spanish left-wing Antonio Villa Suarez, best known as Toni, who penetrated into the opposite area and passed the ball to Turkish striker Enes Unal, who fired, forcing a great save by Eibar’s Spanish goalkeeper Asier Riesgo.
Eibar reacted and had an opportunity to break the deadlock three minutes later, on an individual effort by Chilean winger Fabian Orellana, whose shot was saved by net-minder Jordi Masip.
As the minutes ticked away, the game came down to a midfield battle, with both teams awaiting an opportunity to threaten the opposite goal.
Once more, Masip maintained the scoreless deadlock until the intermission as he saved a header by Orellana.
After the intermission, Eibar kept up their pressure, hoping for an error.
They got what they wanted as Senegalese midfielder Papakouli Diop passed the ball to Spanish left-back Marc Cucurella, who fired the ball high.
Although Eibar seized control over the game, Valladolid had a golden scoring chance after a foul that cost Arbillas his second yellow card in the 72nd minute and could have given the home side the lead.
The scoreless deadlock reigned during the following minutes, despite both teams’ best efforts.
After the draw, Eibar provisionally holds the 12th spot with 10 points, while Valladolid sits in the seventh spot pending the rest of the matchday games.
–IANS
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