Getafe 3 - 1 Racing Santander
Told you we'd win. Stick with me, we'll go places.
Full credit to the Azulones for fighting back after a poor start to open the scoring through a Ruben de la Red header.
Even greater credit to them for managing to come back from Ebi Smolarek's equaliser: first, Javier Casquero netted, and then Manu del Moral made up for an earlier miss with a fine goal.
Above all, thanks to Pablo Hernandez for setting all three of them up. What a player - the club will need to find someone special to play on the right after he leaves.
The only downsides were injuries to Uche and Belenguer, but there's no word yet on how serious they are.
Dare to dream: could we be set for a second successive Copa del Rey final? Santander is never an easy place to go for visiting teams, but that Manu goal has made me a hell of a lot more comfortable than I would have been at 2-1.
I think I'll be booking another flight to Spain this year...
Thursday, 28 February 2008
Copa Del Rey Semi Final, First Leg
Welp, the first leg of the Copa semi-final's about to kick off. Here's the line-up, bogart'd from Marca:
Ustari; Contra, Cata Diaz, Belenguer, Licht; Pablo, De La Red, Casuqero, Granero; Manu, Uche.
Flashpoints: Osky in goal, De La Red and Granero back after their ineligibility at the weekend, Uche up front... and we're going to bloody win.
FORZA GETA!
Ustari; Contra, Cata Diaz, Belenguer, Licht; Pablo, De La Red, Casuqero, Granero; Manu, Uche.
Flashpoints: Osky in goal, De La Red and Granero back after their ineligibility at the weekend, Uche up front... and we're going to bloody win.
FORZA GETA!
Sunday, 24 February 2008
Real Madrid 0 - 1 Getafe
Incredible.
As if beating AEK midweek by three goals - and being the only Spanish side left in the UEFA Cup - wasn't enough, Getafe are now the only side to have taken points from the Bernabeu this season.
The goal was incredible: with Real Madrid celebrating a disallowed goal, Geta hit on the break, with Uche eventually teeing up the shot and side-footing past Iker Casillas.
For all their attacking masterclass at home, the blancos really didn't offer too much beyond that. Thus, Getafe leave with all three points.
Speechless. Aupa Geta!
As if beating AEK midweek by three goals - and being the only Spanish side left in the UEFA Cup - wasn't enough, Getafe are now the only side to have taken points from the Bernabeu this season.
The goal was incredible: with Real Madrid celebrating a disallowed goal, Geta hit on the break, with Uche eventually teeing up the shot and side-footing past Iker Casillas.
For all their attacking masterclass at home, the blancos really didn't offer too much beyond that. Thus, Getafe leave with all three points.
Speechless. Aupa Geta!
Wednesday, 13 February 2008
AEK 1 - 1 Getafe
A largely even game in Athens was almost decided by a calamitous defensive error from the hosts.
The Athenians had the best of the first half, but Geta ended pretty strongly, and were rewarde dwith a goal. Manu strode up the right flank and cut the ball across goal to Braulio, but the on-loan Atleti man couldn't quite reach it. Thankfully for Geta, though, the AEK defender cleared the ball dreadfully - and only as far as Ruben de la Red, who stroked home three minutes from time.
However, deep into stoppage time, Blanco netted after a corner to give the Greeks a fighting chance in the second leg.
That gives Geta a narrow advantage ahead of the second leg, although I imagine that AEK will play with much greater intensity than they did here.
If we get through, it's either Nuremberg or - more likely - Benfica in the next round.
The Athenians had the best of the first half, but Geta ended pretty strongly, and were rewarde dwith a goal. Manu strode up the right flank and cut the ball across goal to Braulio, but the on-loan Atleti man couldn't quite reach it. Thankfully for Geta, though, the AEK defender cleared the ball dreadfully - and only as far as Ruben de la Red, who stroked home three minutes from time.
However, deep into stoppage time, Blanco netted after a corner to give the Greeks a fighting chance in the second leg.
That gives Geta a narrow advantage ahead of the second leg, although I imagine that AEK will play with much greater intensity than they did here.
If we get through, it's either Nuremberg or - more likely - Benfica in the next round.
Tuesday, 12 February 2008
Squad For AEK, And More
Against the odds, the club seems to be wheeling out the big guns for the trip to Athens.
With Liga survival still nowhere near assured, I thought it likely that they'd rotate heavily, but the 18-man convocatoria speaks for itself:
With Liga survival still nowhere near assured, I thought it likely that they'd rotate heavily, but the 18-man convocatoria speaks for itself:
Goalkeepers: 1.Ustari; 13. Pato.
Defenders: 2. Contra; 3. Cata Díaz; 4. Belenguer; 5. Mario; 12. Licht; 19. Signorino; 21. D. Cortés;
Midfielders: 6. Celestini; 8. Gavilán; 10. De la Red; 22. J. Casquero; 24. Pablo Hernández.
Forwards: 9. Braulio; 14. Manu; 16. Albín; 18. Uche.
Defenders: 2. Contra; 3. Cata Díaz; 4. Belenguer; 5. Mario; 12. Licht; 19. Signorino; 21. D. Cortés;
Midfielders: 6. Celestini; 8. Gavilán; 10. De la Red; 22. J. Casquero; 24. Pablo Hernández.
Forwards: 9. Braulio; 14. Manu; 16. Albín; 18. Uche.
Well, I suppose it remains to be seen who actually starts, but in any case, confidence is low, as this team isn't half of what it could be with Esteban Granero. We miss you, pirate guy.
In any case, things are still lurching along as usual in the Liga. Three defeats, two wins and a draw since the turn of the year is survival form at best, but who knows, maybe we can get another backdoor European ticket via the Copa. Racing are struggling, so the semi-final could go our way.
Angel Torres, the Real Madrid-supporting chairman, has said that he'll stand down in a year or two. Whether or not this is a good thing is too early to say, but it's remarkable the progress that we've made under him, and he'll always be remembered for that.
In any case, things are still lurching along as usual in the Liga. Three defeats, two wins and a draw since the turn of the year is survival form at best, but who knows, maybe we can get another backdoor European ticket via the Copa. Racing are struggling, so the semi-final could go our way.
Angel Torres, the Real Madrid-supporting chairman, has said that he'll stand down in a year or two. Whether or not this is a good thing is too early to say, but it's remarkable the progress that we've made under him, and he'll always be remembered for that.
Sunday, 3 February 2008
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