Football is an unfair game for Las Palmas (0-1)
UD Las Palmas went down to a fourth successive defeat against Real Sociedad in a game which they had endless chances to win. The first half was an equal affair, while the second half was totally dominated by the yellows. An error by Varas provided the aw
As Quique Setién had warned before the game, he made quite a few changes to the line-up to the one that faced Málaga. Both in defence, with Helder and Aythami, and in midfield, with the presence of Tana. The objective was to put an end once and for all to the three consecutive defeats against Real Sociedad, a top quality rival who are aiming for European qualification, and was a hard task for the home team.
The 4th minute saw the first scoring chance, a header by Íñigo Martínez which drifted over the bar. Bigas was able to put the Real Sociedad player off. With their lesson well and truly learnt, the away team pressured every time UD Las Palmas came out with the ball. Prince tried to link up with Jesé and he was just unable to get on the end of it. After ten minutes, Oiarzabal claimed hand ball against defender David Simón, it might have been a penalty, but Bigas dealt with it anyway. Then Yuri shot high and wide.
The best chances were falling to Real Sociedad who were slowly getting grip on the game. On the quarter hour mark a quick break started by Viera and carried forward by Jesé, who laid the ball off to Helder Lopes, was nearly made full use of by the latter. This was the first warning shot by UD Las Palmas, while the away team responded with a counter attack that ended in a corner. It was an entertaining game, end to end with scoring chances. David Simón could have scored having been played through by Viera, but ran out of angle. It was a pulsating match.
Tana was creating problems on the right wing, while Roque was gradually imposing himself in midfield. The half hour point was reached with no score, and total uncertainty. Oyarzabal tried his luck from the edge of the area but his shot went over. The best chance for UD fell to the feet of Prince following a team move. Las Palmas could smell a goal. Illarra brought Jonathan Viera down on the edge of the box, and his hefty challenge brought him a yellow card, signalling the yellows’ best period of the match.
In the 40th minute there was a shout for penalty for UD Las Palmas for handball. Then just a few minutes later Jesé had the chance to score his first goal in a goalmouth scramble, with Prince getting a final touch, and half time arrived scoreless after a frenetic 45 minutes.
The second half started with a dangerous shot by Prince. Two minutes later a measured pass by Jesé on to Tana was finished with a fine cross shot that grazed the far post. The goal was eluding UD Las Palmas, who were trying from every angle possible, and were incredibly unlucky at times. Jesé was also having an incredible game. Once again Tana forced Rulli into a telling save, in the 51st minute. UD Las Palmas were bottling their rivals in their own half, with another fine stop by the visiting goalkeeper.
UD Las Palmas were now in total control, with a superb David Simón making inroads down the right flank, and Jesé causing havoc down the left. The Canary team were being to play some fluent stuff and were outclassing their rivals.
The second half continued with the home team on top and creating chances, but with no luck. The ball just wouldn’t seem to go in, but there was still time left. In the 68th minute Jesé again clashed with Rulli, as the game reached its melting point. Four minutes later Prince also clashed with the away goalkeeper.
In the 74the minute Javi Varas was unable to clear and Xabi Prieto froze the blood of the home fans with a goal that put the Basque team ahead. Vicente, who nearly scored a few minutes after, was replaced by Halilovic, closely followed by Mateo who came on in search of an equalizer.
However, the goal conceded weighed heavily on UD Las Palmas, who tried everything they could to get back into a match in which the footballing gods were not kind to the yellows.
