Getafe won 3-2 against Celta with a double from Jaime Mata and a goal from Borja Mayoral that left the Galician team’s reaction to nothing, which with the departure of Iago Aspas in the second half managed to tie a match that they lost 2- 0.
Mayoral opened the scoring in the 41st minute with a free kick; Jaime Mata scored the second in added time in the first half and in the second Strand Larsen and Allende tied. And when it seemed that the tie was not going to be moved, Jaime Mata appeared again in the 88th minute to make it 3-2 with an accurate header that left Getafe five points behind the European positions.
With the good feelings of the last day in Pamplona, ??Rafael Benítez opted to repeat with the eleven that gave him such good results against Osasuna. The 0-3, with Iago Aspas on the bench and with a fairly defensive system, worked a week ago. But not at the Coliseum, where his team only fueled when Iago Aspas appeared on the field. Before, Benítez opted to play with three center backs to lock himself in behind. He repeated his plan and came out badly hurt.
He wanted his players to practically follow the type of approach that Getafe sometimes repeats. Very well locked in behind, quick exits and a lot of intensity. Perhaps, excessively, because the Celta players came out excessively revved up and very strong in the clash. Any divided ball became a treasure for the Galician team, who found themselves with a tough nut to crack.
And Getafe knows how to play that very well. He accepted the war and his victim lasted just 41 minutes, which took Borja Mayoral to open the scoring with his fifteenth goal of the course. José Bordalás’ men armed themselves with patience and sacrificed play for physical battle. And they won it.
With that script, the clash became a tedious performance in which opportunities were conspicuous by their absence. Celta barely tried with a missile from a free kick launched by Ristic and a header from Unai Núñez. None went between the three suits. Just like an attempt by Greenwood, who sent the ball into the Coliseum stands from outside the area.
And, precisely, it was Greenwood, an apparently apathetic player, who revolutionized the game when he wanted to. In the last ten minutes he changed gears and things finally happened. And, the first, in a play that the Englishman started on the right wing, and which ended in a cross from Diego Rico from the left, Mayoral’s goal came. Before, that cross from Rico was hit by Jordi Martín and the Getafe scorer collected the rebound to score with a header at will.
It didn’t take long for Greenwood to do his thing again and just before the break he grabbed the ball on the right wing to speed past Ristic and open the way for Getafe’s second. Guaita avoided his goal but not that of Jaime Mata, who, like Mayoral, attentive, collected the rebound to score the second.
Getafe’s two goals, on the stroke of half-time, were a blow to Celta, who tried to get back on track with the almost immediate departure of Iago Aspas and Allende. Benítez rearranged his players, imposed a 4-4-2 with more fangs and tried to find a point that seemed impossible. However, Celta little by little cornered Getafe with Aspas leading the operations. The light blue player gave a soccer ‘master class’ and changed to his team.
The collection of meaningful passes, filtered balls and changes of pace was immense. Aspas took it upon himself to upset Celta, who in the final stretch of the match closed the gap with Strand Lersen’s goal. Of course, Aspas started the play with a pass between the lines to Manquillo, who placed a measured cross on the Norwegian’s head with which he beat Soria.
Getafe only had to pray that Aspas’s inspiration would cease. He had twenty minutes left to withstand Celta’s attacks. He didn’t get it. Aspas was a lot of Aspas. He still had time to filter another luxury ball that left Tadeo Allende alone against Soria. The Argentine did not fail, Celta tied, savored the glory and in a last rush by Getafe they hit the smack.
Once again, an action by Greenwood made the difference. The English winger put a cross that Jaime Mata sent into the net in the 88th minute, with a shot halfway between the head and the shoulder, and the revolution led by Aspas collapsed to the joy of a stadium that suffered until the end due to fault of the best player in Celta’s history.
3.- Getafe: Soria; Juan Iglesias (Carmona, min. 87), Djené, Alderete, Diego Rico; Greenwood, Maksimovic (Ilaix Moriba, min. 87), Milla, Jordi Martín (Aleñá, min. 75); Jaime Mata and Borja Mayoral.
2.- Celtic: Guaita; Manquillo (Vázquez, min. 87), Tapia (Douvikas, min. 80), Unai Núñez, Domínguez, Ristic; Mingueza (Allende, min. 55), Jailson (Aspas, min. 55), Fran Beltrán, De la Torre; and Larsen (Hugo Sotelo, min. 80).
Goals: 1-0, min. 41: Borja Mayoral; 2-0, min. 45 3: Jaime Mata; 2-1, min. 71: Larsen; 2-2, min. 85: Allende; 3-2, min. 88: Jaime Mata.
Referee: Hernández Hernández (Canary Committee). He showed a yellow card to Tapia (min. 50) for Celta and to Greenwood (min. 62) for Getafe.
Incidents: match corresponding to the twenty-fourth day of LaLiga EA Sports played at the Getafe Coliseum.
Check here all the results of the day and the LaLiga EA Sports classification
