Madrid, Oct. 30 (IANS): Real Madrid were the victims of the biggest shock of the football season to date in the Spanish La Liga when they were defeated 1-2 away to newly promoted Girona.
It is the first time Real Madrid have lost to a side playing its first ever season in the Spanish top-flight in almost 30 years and the defeat could have been even more embarrassing given that Girona hit the Madrid woodwork on two different occasions on Sunday, reports Xinhua news agency.
Things looked to be going to plan when Isco opened the scoring after 12 minutes, but Girona produced a spectacular second half turnaround with two goals in four minutes from Cristian Stuani and Portu and were able to hold on for a famous win.
The defeat leaves them eight points behind FC Barcelona after Leo Messi and Ter Stegen helped the league leaders make it nine wins from their first 10 games of the season as they won 2-0 away to Athletic Club Bilbao.
Ter Stegen made several excellent saves against a much-improved Athletic, while Messi opened the scoring in the 39th minutes and helped set up Paulinho for Barca’s second goal in injury time, as well as hitting the woodwork in the first half.
Valencia confirmed their best ever start to a flight season with a 2-1 win away to Deportivo Alaves, who remain second from bottom with nine defeats from their first 10 matches.
Goals from Simone Zaza and Rodrigo Moreno saw Valencia home, while a header from Alexis Ruano momentarily gave Alaves hope of a fightback
Questions remain about Atletico Madrid after they dropped a further two points following a 1-1 draw at home to Villarreal.
Missed chances were again Atletico’s undoing in a game in which they did enough to take all three points, but had to settle for Angel Correa’s 61st minute opening goal.
Kevin Gameiro missed a chance to double Atletico’s lead, but they were guilty of sitting back to defend their lead and paid the price when a Carlos Bacca header drew Villarreal level in the 80th minute following a corner saw the points shared.
Sevilla got back to winning ways thanks to a 2-1 win at home to Leganes with goals from Wissam Ben Yedder and Pablo Sarabia.
Late goals from Angel and a Jorge Molina penalty saw Getafe claim their second home win of the season as they came back from a goal down to defeat Real Sociedad, who had taken the lead thanks to Mikel Oyarzabal’s fifth goal of the campaign.
Eibar recovered from 0-2 down to claim a 2-2 draw at home to Levante: Jose Luis Morales and Enis Bardhi put the visitors 2-0 ahead at the break, but under pouring rain Eibar fought back with strikes from Anaitz Arbilla and Charles.
The weekend ended with a tense game as Malaga claimed their first win of the season with a 2-1 triumph at home to Celta Vigo that should save the job of coach Michel Gonzalez.
His son Adrian Gonzalez opened the scoring at the end of the first half, but Celta equalized through a Iago Aspas header with 10 minutes remaining as Malaga tired. It looked as if victory would slip away from Malaga yet again, but Recio kept his cool to score the winning goal from the penalty spot following a handball in the Celta area with just seven minutes remaining.
