UD Las Palmas have something to smile about again (4-1)

Just one change, Fidel who came in for Álvaro Lemos, was made by Paco Herrera in his starting line-up to the one that drew against Majadahonda last Monday. It was the Andalusian midfielder who fired the ball into the top corner with just 11 minutes on the clock to put his side ahead 1-0. It was a fine left-footed shot that finished off a great team move.

UD Las Palmas had started out looking slightly shaky, as just moments before Rubén García had hit the home side’s crossbar from a free kick. The away side were controlling possession, but the fact Las Palmas had taken the lead gave them great confidence, especially in the way they played their way out of defence.  

Fidel, who is a free kick specialist, put his side 2-0 ahead in the 30th minute, curling a beautiful shot into the left hand top corner. The crowd cheered that goal like no other. As the home side’s fiesta was getting underway, a great through ball by Galarreta to Rafa Mir ended with the striker lifting a lovely lob over the advancing goalkeeper to make the scores 3-0, which few had imagined at the start. Everything was going right for Las Palmas, from second phase possession, first touch passing and their approach play to the rival’s penalty area. The goals gave the team a whole new look.

In the second half, Las Palmas kept their eyes off the scoreboard and kept their ordered play going. Logically, Osasuna began to press forward, and on 52 minutes Fran Mérida reduced the arrears. These were the best moments in the game for the away side. Las Palmas needed to slow play down a little to avoid getting caught up in a muddle. They countered the Osasuna siege on their goal with a header by Timor (min. 63) that came back out off the inside of the post.

With the away side committed to all out attack, the last few minutes provided lots of action, including a counter attack led by Rubén Castro which ended with a foul on the edge of the box. Second half substitute Álvaro Lemos stepped up to hit low drive which went in off the far post beyond the reach of the dive of the away goalkeeper, to score his side’s fourth goal of the evening, in the 81st minute.

With an unassailable 4-1 lead, the yellows slowed the pace of the game down, leaving them with a welcome victory before they look ahead to