Primera Iberdrola has expanded to 18 teams and the first matchday of the new season didn’t disappoint. Including the first ever women’s El Clásico.
Logrono 1-2 Levante
Logrono took the lead just before half time through Olga García but Levante responded well after the interval. Irene Guerrero drew the Valencian side level 10 minutes after the break.
They then took the lead through Esther González 4 minutes later to give Levante the victory.
Athletic Bilbao 2-1 Deportivo
María Díaz Cirauqui put Bilbao ahead in the opening 20 minutes before Lady Andrade leveled the score just after half-time.
However, 20-year-old Bilbao forward Leyre Monente Aicua snatched victory for her side in the final 10 minutes.
Espanyol 0-2 Atletico Madrid
Last year’s runners up Atletico Madrid began their Primera Iberdrola campaign with an away win at Espanyol.
The Madrid side survived an early scare when Anaïr Lomba clipped the top of the bar.
Las Rojiblancas were then denied by the woodwork themselves when Amanda Sampedro struck the bar.
Embed from Getty ImagesDeyna Castellanos gave the visitors the lead when she fired a ferocious low shot into the back of the net.
They then doubled their lead when Brazilian international Ludmila headed the ball into the far corner.
Eibar 1-0 Real Betis
Newly-promoted side Eibar had a dream start to life in the Primera Iberdrola with victory over Real Betis.
The only goal came when Maria Llompart’s delightful long-range free kick rattled the crossbar before falling kindly to the Brazilian Juliana Cardozo.
The defender known as “Jujuba” joined in the summer from Granadilla Tenerife. She has clearly made a good first impression at her new club.
Sporting Huelva 1-2 Valencia
Last season’s 2nd and 3rd bottom club’s faced off in a dramatic fixture in Andalusia.
Huelva took the lead in first-half added time after Danyelle Helena got on the end of a wonderful through ball.
She slotted past the keeper to give her side the lead.
Valencia then responded emphatically in the second-half. Beatriz Beltrán Sanz unleashed an absolute rocket from 25 yards into the top corner to level the match.
The game looked to be heading for a draw when Sporting captain Sandra Castelló was controversially adjudged to have brought down Ascensión Martínez Salinas in the 90th minute.
Substitute Carla Piqueras stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way as she gave her side the 2-1 victory.
Santa Teresa 1-1 Sevilla
It was a decent start for two promoted teams. Santa Teresa got their first point on the board against a decent Sevilla side.
The Andalusian side went ahead in the second half through a penalty from on-loan Barcelona teenager Clàudia Pina.
The home side then drew level thanks to defender Ariadna Moreno who’s shot rebounded in off the post.
Sevilla had opportunities to win the game late on but weren’t able to take any of them so the match finished level.
Granadilla Tenerife 0-1 Madrid CFF
It was a significant win on the road for Madrid CFF in their opening game. Valeria Cantuario scored the ultimately decisive goal in this tightly contested fixture.
The side from the capital finished 13th last season only managing five wins in 21 fixtures. Grabbing a win this early on will be a great confidence boost for the upcoming fixtures.
Real Madrid 0-4 Barcelona
The biggest fixture of the opening weekend was always going to be the first ever women’s El Clásico.
Reigning champions Barcelona were hotly tipped favourites coming into the match and they demonstrated their superiority early on.
Patricia Guijarro opened the scoring with a deflected shot into the corner in the first 20 minutes.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Catalans should have made it 2-0 moments later but Marta Torrejón couldn’t convert.
Barcelona had their second goal after half-time when goalkeeper María Isabel Rodríguez Rivero could only turn the ball into her own net after a series of ricochet’s in the box.
The keeper then couldn’t prevent Lieke Martens’ first time volley from finding the net for Barcelona’s third.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe away side then added insult to injury as Alexia Putellas passed the ball into the goal off the far post.
It was a harsh lesson for Real Madrid that they have a long way to go if they are going to be considered one of the top teams in Spain and Europe.
As for Barcelona, it was business as usual and if they are able to sustain this level throughout the season they could be on course to run away with the league once again.
