Las Palmas adds one more point away after drawing with Sporting (0-0)
UD Las Palmas earned one more point as a visiting team this Sunday, drawing (0-0) at Sporting de Gijón's ground. It was a challenging afternoon for the yellows, although Milos Lukovic had the best chances to break the original scoreline. García Fernández's players maintain their status as an undefeated team away from home.
Despite the secrecy both teams intended to maintain to start the afternoon at El Molinón, the first few minutes saw two chances in both directions. The first was for Sporting, after a steal and shot by Pablo García that was blocked by Barcia's leg. The subsequent chance was for the visitors, with a fast run by Viti and a pass for Iván Gil, who placed the ball in goalkeeper Yáñez's arms.
A few uneventful minutes passed until the 19th minute when Milos Lukovic delivered another high-risk message, the best play of the entire first half. The move was initiated by Pejiño, who evaded two defenders and delivered a cross that the Serbian forward managed to head. However, the local goalkeeper prevented the goal with a timely intervention, deflecting the Serbian's shot with one hand.
Possession percentages grew for Las Palmas as the minutes passed, reaching 66% by the halfway point of the match. With the ball in the hands of the yellow team, the visitors had taken control of the game, although they faced clear difficulties in finding shooting positions. Their opponent prevented this by dropping their block into their own half.
The yellow color shone in the Asturian stronghold, and the 0-0 score was a consequence of the spaces closed off by Sporting and Yáñez's excellent intervention against Lukovic. The goalkeeper also appeared at the start of the second half, frustrating a potential shot in the heart of the area after a well-placed cross from Fuster, which was looking for a recipient.
The Serbian came close to scoring again in the 58th minute, after a play and pass from Fuster. But his right-footed shot was deflected by Yáñez's right post, who was completely beaten in the play.
The first substitution by García Fernández was Ale García, with half an hour remaining. This happened minutes before the visitors suffered a major scare. The referee surprisingly sent off Milos Lukovic with a direct red card, following an accidental play. The VAR room made referee Muresan Muresan reconsider his error, and he changed the card to a yellow warning.
That action also became a turning point in the dynamics of the match, almost at the final stretch of the game. But Lukovic would have another opportunity in the 89th minute, heading a cross-shot from Mika Mármol without precision. The Serbian's position was optimal, but the finish was not.
Sporting's main chance came in the 94th minute, with a shot from Rosas after finding a loose ball in the area. But Dinko Horkas was on point and once again kept his goal intact in the league.