Villarreal 1-2 Getafe: Overdue win comes with a hint of luck

0-1 Diego Castro 5'
1-1 Nilmar 45' (pen.)
1-2 Abdel Barrada 72'

Getafe take their chances and Villarreal don't, making for an away win...
... Borja Valero's first ever VCF penalty miss helps Geta to first win since January...

Getafe finally got back to winning ways after edging a fraught thriller at the Madrigal on Monday night. Had the hosts taken their chances the outcome could have been quite different, but coach Luis García will be delighted to see his side show both guts and luck to take all three points back to the capital from the Valencian Community.

With both Pedro León and Diego Castro starting it didn't take long for Getafe to show attacking intent, and they duly went ahead after just five minutes. It was Diego Castro who netted after poor defending from Villarreal and good work from Abdel Barrada and Miku in the buildup.

Defensive midfielder Míchel nearly gave away the lead twelve minutes later after conceding a needless penalty against Jaume Costa, but Borja Valero's poor penalty was saved by Miguel Ángel Moyà.

After more pressure something had to give, and it came on the stroke of half-time. Cata Díaz's poorly-timed challenge on Nilmar in the box saw the Yellow Submarine earn their second penalty of the game, and the Brazilian made no mistake from the spot.

Villarreal were superior for much of the second half, but their profligacy was summed up in the 68th minute when the hitherto-excellent Cani made a storming run down the right, leaving the Getafe back line in his wake, before shooting into the side netting from point-black range.

Five minutes later, and against the run of play, Abdel Barrada gave Getafe their second lead of the game. The young Parisien slid home from close range after Pedro León played the first-time pass from Diego Castro's excellent build-up.



With this result Getafe earn some much-needed respite from the relegation battle, moving into 13th place with 32 points. Villarreal, meanwhile, remain 17th on 27, just three points ahead of Racing and Sporting in the dropzone.

Villarreal: Diego López; Ángel López, Gonzalo (Marco Ruben 61), Zapata, Jaume Costa; Marcos Senna, Bruno; Cani, Borja Valero, Camuñas; Nilmar (Joselu 69). Getafe: Moyà; Valera, Cata Díaz, Alexis, Mané; Míchel, Lacen; Pedro León (Casquero 74), Abdel Barrada, Diego Castro; Miku (Dani Güiza 69).

Getafe 0-0 Villarreal: A clean sheet, but no joy against off-form Yellow Submarine

Getafe can't take advantage of first-half pressure against struggling visitors...
... A nervy end to the match saw a draw as perhaps the fairest outcome...


The 0-0 scoreline at the Coliseum belied a spirited contest as Getafe and Villarreal battled to a 0-0 draw in La Liga. For both sides this was a missed opportunity to pick up much-needed points after a disappointing start to the season.

Dani Güiza seemed odds-on to net his first goal in his second spell in a Getafe shirt, but despite his energy and a host of chances in the first period he ended the half goalless.

Adrián Colunga was given a rare introduction in the second half, but the latter 45 was the story of Villarreal, who themselves passed up clear opportunities to grab a much-needed win.

Getafe's quest for points continues with a visit to the Basque Country to face Real Sociedad next weekend.

Getafe: Codina; Varela, Cata Díaz, Lopo, Miguel Torres; Rubén Pérez, Casquero (Míchel 71); Pedro Ríos, Sarabia, Diego Castro (Miku 87); Güiza (Colunga 55). Villarreal: Diego López; Zapata, Gonzalo, Marchena, Catalá; Marcos Senna (Wakaso 46), Bruno; Borja Valero, De Guzmán (Joselu 81), Cani (Hernán Pérez 79); Rossi.

Note: This report was published on 26 October due to vacation.

Villarreal 2-1 Getafe: Azulones can't hold their lead as disaster looms

0-1 Pedro Ríos 31'

1-1 Cani 60'

2-1 Rossi 74'

Tough trip to Madrigal ends much as expected - in defeat...

... Results elsewhere mean that the Madrid outfit could end the weekend in the bottom three...

Getafe surrendered a one-goal advantage against a Villarreal side well worth their win on the day to sink deeper into the relegation mire on a weekend that saw Zaragoza and Málaga gain the advantage in the race to avoid the drop.

After a largely even opening spell, Getafe took the lead on the half-hour mark. Pedro Ríos was the difference-maker, the ex-Xerez winger scoring a wonderful solo effort by skipping free of his marker and looping a superb shot into the top of the net from the edge of the area.

Despite this setback the hosts emerged for the second half looking far stronger, and duly took the lead - albeit in bizarre circumstances.

After Javier Casquero conceded a free-kick on the edge of the area, Getafe stood around talking amongst themselves while Santi Cazorla swiftly passed the set-piece to Cani, who in turn lashed a shot past the blameless Oscar Ustari.

Villarreal's dominance continued and it was no surprise when they took the lead shortly afterwards. Marco Rubén left Miguel Torres flat-footed and eventually flat on his back before clipping a short cross for Giuseppe Rossi. The Italian's diving header was strong and true and gave Villarreal the lead.

Javier Ariezmendi had already come on by this time, and Adrián Colunga was to join him as the visitors threw everything forward, but it was to no avail.

A positive result for Osasuna against Valencia in the later game will place Getafe in the dropzone. Regardless, the Azulones are in an extremely precarious position and must take three points from all-but-relegated Almería next weekend.

Villarreal: Diego López; Mario, Kiko (Marco Rubén 70), Musacchio, Capdevila; Cazorla (Wakaso 82), Borja Valero, Bruno, Cani (Catalá 77); Rossi, Nilmar. Getafe: Ustari; Miguel Torres, Cata Díaz, Marcano, Mané; Víctor Sánchez (Colunga 77), Casquero (Boateng 68); Pedro Ríos, Parejo, Adrián Sardinero (Arizmendi 73); Miku.

Jornada 15: Getafe 1-0 Villarreal

1-0 Albín 89'

Nine-man Geta leave Yellow Submarine stranded
Cata Díaz and goal hero Juan Ángel Albín to serve suspensions

Getafe made it three Liga wins in a row with a heroic victory over Villarreal in a match that saw the hosts end the game with just nine men.

Although both sides were wasteful, Geta deserved the victory in the end, adjusting well to their losing stalwart centre-back Cata Díaz just before the break, while Vilarreal's profligacy - especially at set-pieces - meant that they got from the fixture their just deserts.

Villarreal had the best of the early stages but failed to make too many clear cut opportunities in an opening period that seemed set to lead to a dull 0-0. But just before half-time Getafe were reduced to ten men as Cata Díaz slid in on Nilmar on the edge of the area.

The Brazilian was in full flight and the chasing Argentine was a split-second too late to make contact with the ball: it was a clear foul, but it was open to interpretation as to whether or not it was a clear goalscoring opportunity. Referee Paradas Romero decided that it was and gave Díaz his marching orders, Miku also entering the book for dissent.

The second half was arguably scrappier than the first, but Getafe, playing on the counter, looked active and energetic in the closing stages, and perhaps deserved to take the lead just two minutes from time when Juan Ángel Albín swept home a late winner after Javier Casquero knocked Pedro Ríos' cross down to the Uruguayan's left foot.

Albín then picked up a second booking for removing his shirt, but backs-to-the-wall Geta preserved their lead throughout stoppage time.

This result sees the Azulones move up to sixth place, pending results of matches involving Real Sociedad, Mallorca, and Atletico Madrid.

We May Have Just Lost To Madrid...

But I'm proud of the effort that we put in during the 3-2 loss at the Santiago Bernabeu. There's no way that Real Madrid deserved to win that, and while that penalty miss may come back to haunt us there's no denying that Getafe still showed spirit and guts at a tough arena.

As for Javier Casquero, here's hoping that his back heals up after that disgraceful assault from Pepe, who raked his studs across him and also stamped on him.

Onwards and upwards. Villarreal at home this weekend. I reckon we can get all three.

Victory Redux

Since last we met - and I really do need to do something about this - it's been quite a run for El Geta.

First came the stunning 3-1 win over a beleaguered Real Madrid side:

Followed by a three-goal lead at Villarreal that, while followed up by our conceding three, still produced a credible draw:



And then last night was the 4-1 victory over Mallorca (video forthcoming.)

All told Geta are now 9th with four games to go until the halfway point, and one until the winter break.

The outstanding games before the halfway point are:

Osasuna (A)
Deportivo (H)
Numancia (A)
Racing (H)

With absolutely no disrespect to the teams involved this is a decent enough "run-in", and having taken five points from a possible nine against three of the biggest teams, and then thumped Mallorca, we have every reason to be confident.

Down in the Tercera with the B team, things aren't quite so good, yet Getafe B remain six points clear of the dropzone despite the heavy defeat to Alcobendas at the weekend.

AUPA GETA!

Villarreal 2- 0 Getafe

A 2-0 loss: not much else to say. Geta actually started well - especially Braulio - but Villarreal are simply deadly on the counter and have players of extraordinary ability.

Here are highlights:

Squad For Villarreal

Geta travel to on-form Villarreal with survival still very much up in the air. The hosts are aiming for second place (and automatic Champions League entry) so it will be far from easy.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: 1. Ustari; 13. Pato.

Defenders: 2. Contra; 3. Cata Díaz; 4. Belenguer; 12. Licht; 21. D. Cortés; 23. Tena.

Midfielders: 7. Mario Cotelo; 8. Gavilán; 10. De la Red; 20. Pallardó; 25. Granero; 28. Richi;.

Attackers: 9. Braulio; 14. Manu; 16. Albín; 17. Kepa.

I'd personally start Kepa and Albín up front for this one, as I imagine we'll be playing on the counter. Kepa, average though he is, can prepared flick-ons for Juan to run onto. In midfield, it's good to see Pallardó back, but I'm not sure if he's ready to play. In any case, with Casquero injured and Celestini out, he could be called in.

Oh - and Osky wants to stay, apparently, and Michael Laudrup is allegedly Johan Cruyff's choice for the soon-to-be-vacant Barcelona job. Happy days.

Yuletide Redux

Time has been at a premium of late, but Getafe roll on:

Dec 6 - Getafe contrive to almost throw away an easily-gained 1-0 lead against AaB in Aalborg, eventually prevailing 2-1 in a game that was much harder than it had to be.

Dec 9 - Atletico Madrid squeeze through to the most undeserved win of the century at the Calderon with both Getafe and the hosts having two men sent off. Pato and Licht get reds for the good guys, while Reyes and Kun Aguero do so for Atleti.

Dec 10-13 - The Spanish disciplinary committee finish constructing their giant statue of Kun Aguero and, prostrating themselves below it, annul the Argentine's second yellow card, borne of a truly atrocious dive in front of Pato. As such, while the Geta goalie and Licht languish in the stands, Kun is free to face Recreativo on Sunday. The admittedly-gifted whippet then spends a fine afternoon in Huelva getting hacked left, right and centre as boos ring out around the Colombino. The hostile reception is due to the fact that the cheeky scamp scored via handball against Recre once in the past in an aincident that perhaps mirrored another deliberate* handball that took place against Getafe on December 9th.

Dec 12 - A heavily-weakened Getafe side scrapes past third-tier side Burgos 1-0 away from home in the Copa del Rey. Any visiting supporter may have been struck by the vast contrast between Burgos, a study in Spanish imperial opulence, and Getafe's own Calle de Madrid, a fine example of iron-shuttered suburban despair. But at least the latter has a good football team, so stick that in your pipe and smoke it, El Cid.

Dec 16 - Villarreal pap Getafe 3-1 at the Coliseum in a performance reminiscent of our early-season woes. Nihat ran rings around the Azulones, the midfield was off-colour, and it took Kepa Blanco of all people to pull one back for the hosts. Just when onlookers began to suspect that the former Sevilla man was a player - two goals in two games! - he promptly skied the penalty that could have given Getafe the path to an unlikely draw. Still, there's no point in blaming him for what was overall a very poor team performance.

Dec 18 - Marca claims that coach Laudrup wants a versatile defender who can play both left and centre in the January transfer window. Apparently the boss has no faith in Franck Signorino nor Manuel Tena, which would explain why the former only gets games in the cups and/or when everyone was injured and why the latter is on orange-slicing duty. No names have yet been mooted.

Heart-rendingly, Laudrup's dear old mum then emerges in the Danish press to relate a tale of how she, as an unmarried 16-year-old in conservative Denmark - almost had her firstborn aborted at her own mother's insistence, only to be saved by the kindly intervention of her dad, who claimed to be unable to find a back-alley abortion clinic. Cheerful stuff.

Later on Dec 18 - A very-much-unaborted Michael Laudrup names the following squad to meet Anderlecht:

Goalkeepers: 1. Ustari; 13. Pato.

Defenders: 2. Contra; 3. Cata Díaz; 4. Belenguer; 12. Licht; 19. Signorino.

Midfielders: 6. Celestini; 7. Mario Cotelo; 10. De la Red; 15. Nacho; 22. J. Casquero; 24. Pablo Hernández; 25. Granero; 42. Juanfran.

Attackers: 9. Braulio; 14. Manu; 17. Kepa.

Ikechukwu Uche was thought to be on the verge of recovery, but it seems as if he'll miss this game, while David Cortes and Francisco Sousa are also out.

It's more than likely that the side will be rotated, but with one point sealing passage to the next round, it may not be totally changed. Pato, for example, may take up position in goal after missing the weekend tie.

Anderlecht, meanwhile, have Bart Goor in their squad. He's a class act. The rest of them can go to hell.

Forza Geta!

*Aguero called it accidental as the world guffawed in disbelief.