LAS PALMAS-SABADELL Hernández executes a disappointing UD Las Palmas

Little opposition was planted by Las Palmas to a combative Sabadell. It is true that the insular formation He played for almost an hour with one less player after Domínguez was sent off, but it wasn't that he did many merits to even tie. Add the second consecutive defeat while the boys of Antonio Hidalgo return home with the feeling of a job well done and the relief of their own that give three points in the fierce struggle to avoid relegation.

The ways of football are so inscrutable that, Sabadell probably deserves something more than fighting to avoid the agonizing decline. With its immovable line of five defenders, great lanes Victor and Cornud, Antonio Hidalgo's team started the game excellently planted on the grass of the Gran Canaria Stadium. He blatantly handed the ball to Las Palmas, who could do nothing to pierce the rival defensive rock in the first section of the game.

Although Benito's pressure almost cost an overwhelmed Mackay annoyance, little by little Sabadell began to show, pressing the exit of the ball from Las Palmas, so forced Mel's team to clear the ball as soon as possible. Nevertheless, the first occasion with some danger came in charge of the local formation, minute 18, when a poisoned center of Álvaro Lemos, Returning after his muscular problems, he found no recipient. Catalan training did not despair, which had the 0-1 practically scored when Suárez, almost on goal, avoided the shot at the pleasure of Álvaro Vázquez.

Of course, Vázquez himself became, with the passing of the minutes, the biggest nightmare for Las Palmas. It happens that the Sabadell forward it forced Domínguez to shine in the 24th minute. It was his first warning of what was to come. Meanwhile, Pepe Mel's hosts seemed to be entangled with the ball, whose control they enjoy so much, although a strong shot from Benito kissed Mackay's side of the net when the 1-0 seemed to be rising to the scoreboard.

For its part, Vázquez followed his. Nor is it that he needs a lot of the ball to cause a destruction in the rival defense, and he demonstrated it in the 33rd minute when he faced Domínguez alone. A move as fast as it was confusing, the Sabadell striker was ready, gathering up artistic skills to cause the expulsion of the goalkeeper from Las Palmas, condemned ever since. He held out as best the local team could until the break, and even Valles, who entered through Curbelo, showed off in the discount after a header from Stoichkov. As misfortunes never come alone, Curbelo retired injured minutes before, leaving his position to Ismael Athuman.

With any previous approach to the game already in the air, Mel gave entry to Pejiño, who had not played since October 24 in Cartagena, by a willful but misguided Benito Ramírez. With nothing to lose, at times it seemed that it was Las Palmas who was playing with one more footballer. Sabadell continued to wait patiently for their great opportunity, which arrived in the 62nd minute when Javi Castellano lost a fatal ball that reached the domain of Juan Hernández, joined the party shortly before, who planted himself in the Canarian area to face Suárez and cross an impossible ball for Valles, atonic before the 0-1.

The party, now yes, it seemed an oasis for the well-worked team of Antonio Hidalgo. The Harlequin team took a step back, but had the score in favor and one more footballer on the field. Las Palmas, with much more will than success, hardly generated danger despite the fact that his life was in it. In fact, his first shot between Mackay's three sticks did not arrive until minute 71, but the rival goalkeeper had no difficulty in blocking Pejiño's very weak shot, to which the evident lack of competitive rhythm was noticed.

Mel gave entrance to Mujica, one of his two winter signings (Jesé was in the stands), and the Gran Canaria striker was close to tying the game after a delight from Álvaro Lemos in the service of a dangerous free kick. Little more could Las Palmas offer to tie an impossible match against a Sabadell who defended impeccably during the 90 minutes of the game. Fair winner.

With this triumph, Antonio Hidalgo's boys take a breath in that agonizing fight for relegation, while Las Palmas takes a new slap of harsh reality, accumulating two consecutive defeats, in that optical illusion that leads him to think that, today, the playoffs are a real objective.

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Pepe Mel: “We had too many difficulties and, in the end, we weren't able to”

The coach considers that the expulsion of his goalkeeper in the first half marked the future of the game.

UD Las Palmas reaps its second consecutive defeat, marked by a doubtful action, and breaks that positive dynamic that it has been leading in this beginning of 2021 by winning the three recently descended in a solvent way.

Expulsion of Álex Domínguez

“Well, what it seems is that the boy does not give him, but it is an appreciation. I do not know. The truth is that it does not matter what we think, the reality is what it is. The referee whistled foul and expulsion. For us it has been It was an unfortunate match from that moment on. We had too many difficulties and, in the end, we weren't able to. The boy says he doesn't hit and the images seem to show that he doesn't hit, but the results are what they are. When the referee whistles, everything is over”.

Eric Curbelo Status

“We don't know until they look at him. It's very early, I can't say. It's not the first time that has happened to him. It has never happened to him in a game, but it has coincided today. Everything has come out from the bottom, everything that happened it was against us “

Latest changes

“We waited because we had to make two forced changes in the first half. With people with cards, fatigue … I did not see the way to improve the team with intervention from outside. So, we have run out of time choosing who we would have to remove . We have put people like Pejiño, who played his first game in a long time, and Rafa made his debut almost without training. We hope to recover soon all of those who are out to be able to choose and be strong. The squads, when they are diminished by injuries, They weaken. That has been another consequence of having to make two unforeseen changes in the first part, because you only have one window left. “

The game system

“We are playing with two ends and, for me, Clau is a forward. We have played the same, with two ends, but it is not the same that he plays one or the other. The qualities are not the same. It is not the same to have Kirian as to Maikel and having Benito or Oscar. Each one plays in a different way. Squads are depleted when you don't have much to shoot because they are out. “

Match rating

“The first approach was a shot from Benito and a good arrival from Maikel that Sergio misses in the small area. The team did not start badly, but the setback of staying with one less and then Eric's fading … They have been too many things for such an ill-fated match. “

Little danger

“Yes, when we are left with ten. I say it, I remember Benito's internship and then Sergio's failure in the area in one of the clearest plays of the game. Obviously, going in tow of all that has cost us a lot I think we are not a bad team in attack, but it has not been easy for us. Furthermore, another tremendous blow has been the form of the goal, which comes from our mistake. It is another that we have to aim for. We have the bad luck of that every time we make a mistake, it costs us a goal “.

Ais Reig at the VAR

“I don't understand what it has to do with here. I just found out that I was in the VOR room. Well, very well, what do you want me to tell you. I, right now, will see it calmly. Without knowing this, I have said no I had given him. If the VAR has said yes, then nothing, another one “.

No man's land

“Soccer, in the end, puts you in your place. We, with so many people out, cannot opt ​​for anything. We have to all be there and, when we are all, we can fight. From my side, we have never spoken, which we want is to compete and see how far we get. After winning three games in a row I said that the second laps are very complicated. We have to fight to achieve the crucial goal, which is 50 points. So, once we do that, like already There are no more objectives, we will talk about other things. The main objective is to get Kirian, Rober, Jonathan back, get Jesé, Rafa in shape … If we have them all, we will be a much more competitive team. “

The change of Araújo

“It's what being a coach has to do. Araujo was about to not get dressed this morning because he has muscle problems. Everyone who has had Covid-19 has muscle problems. We wanted to leave him on the scoreboard, but we thought with our heads and we tried to not be injured. We had refreshment people and we kept him until 80 ', but he was fine. We were about to remove him at half-time. It is what it has to have all the cards face up and be the one who works with them . There is information that I have that you do not. El Chino still needs a little more to be comfortable every time he competes. “