Madrid: Valencia’s struggles in the Spanish league continued with a 2-2 draw at Granada.
The result ended Valencia’s three-game losing streak but extended its winless run to four matches. It has won only one of seven matches since the league resumed and is ninth in the standings, in danger of missing out on European action next season. Granada grabbed a late equalizer with Fede Vico’s free kick in the 86th minute.
It had opened the scoring with a penalty kick converted by Carlos Fernández in the 61st, but the visitors quickly rallied with goals by Manu Vallejo in the 63rd and Gonçalo Guedes in the 68th. Vico’s free kick went through the wall of Valencia players at mid-height.
“We had the chance to make it 3-1 but ended allowing the equalizer after a mistake that shouldn’t have happened,” said Valencia interim coach Voro González, who was in his second match in charge after replacing the fired Albert Celades. Granada dropped to 10th, just behind Valencia. Real Madrid defends its four-point lead over second-place Barcelona when it visits eighth-place Athletic Bilbao on Sunday. Barcelona plays at fifth-place Villarreal.
Celta Vigo missed a chance to move further away from the relegation zone after a 1-1 home draw against Real Betis. It was the third straight winless match for Celta, which stayed just outside the drop zone with four matches left. Celta took the lead with a clever free kick converted by forward Nolito in the 22nd minute, curling a low shot around the wall, but the hosts conceded in the 79th after the defense failed to clear a cross inside the area and Betis defender Zou Feddal picked up the loose ball to score easily. “It’s a shame that they equalized in the end,” Nolito said.
“The three points would have made a big difference. But we got one point and we have to keep fighting. We have four matches left and we only depend on ourselves.” It has been an up-and-down run for Celta since the league resumed following the coronavirus break, with two losses, two wins and three draws. Its recent results included a 6-0 rout of Alavés, a 5-1 loss at Mallorca and a 2-2 draw against title contender Barcelona.
Celta has a six-point cushion over Mallorca, the first team inside the relegation zone. Mallorca lost 3-0 at third-place Atlético Madrid on Friday. Celta hosts Atlético on Tuesday. Betis, which has four losses and only one victory in seven matches since the league resumed, is in 14th place, nine points from danger.
Aláves conceded in the 88th minute to lose 1-0 at Valladolid for its fifth consecutive defeat. (AP)
