UD Las Palmas faced another trascendental match in their fight to stay in the First Division. They were facing a Celta side at the Estadio de Balaídos with some new faces in the starting line-up, such as Erik Expósito who replaced Jonathan Calleri, ruled out through an accumulation of yellow cards. Manager Paco Jémez decided to start with Chichizola; Macedo, Gálvez, Ximo, Aguirregaray; Vicente, Aquilani, Etebo, Tana and Halilovic alongside the aforementioned Las Palmas Atlético forward.
Right from the kick off, Las Palmas showed they meant business and showed their manager’s desire to strike hard in their efforts to stay up. The yellows came into the match on a high following their draw against FC Barcelona (1-1), and started brightly and steadily. Gálvez, with a long-range free kick, tested out home goalkeeper, but his rising shot flew just over the bar. The game was end to end stuff, without any of the teams really threatening with clear chances.
In the 26th minute, Tana latched onto the ball from outside the box that was turned away at full stretch by the home ‘keeper. Shortly afterwards, on the half hour mark, Expósito nearly got on the end of a succulent cross by Macedo, and Halilovic tried his luck with a left-footed shot. These were Las Palmas’ best moments. In between, Celta attacked on the counter, and looked threatening, but Chichizola was there to keep them at bay. Just before half time, ‘Tucu’ Hernández headed a free kick goal wards but it went narrowly wide. The players went in at half time with the scores level and everything to play for in the second half.
After the restart, Unzué’s side stepped up a gear and began to take control of proceedings, making it hard for Jémez’s men to keep possession. Within two minutes of the restart, Maxi Gómez had the clearest chance of the match following a fine cross by Hugo Mallo. His point-blank effort missed by inches. Las Palmas then hit back with a goal.
A great attacking move by the yellows ended with Etebo playing in Expósito, who drove the ball in hard across the goal and into the far bottom corner. Instead of sitting back, the away team continued to pour forward and had a double chance, first Tana and then Aguirregaray. Both could have scored. However, in the 62nd minute, Jonny drew his team level by tapping in a rebound after a diving save by Chichizola. From that moment Celta enjoyed their best moments of the match. Jémez introduced Nacho Gil to replace Aquilani in his first tactical change. The home team, with their fans on their backs, continued to pour forward in search of a winning goal, but Las Palmas stood up firmly and defended staunchly. With ten minutes left on the clock, Toledo came on for Halilovic in search of an opportunity, but everything went horribly wrong in the 88th minute, when ‘Tucu’ Hernández hooked in his team’s winner. Las Palmas, after putting in a workmanlike performance, go back to Gran Canaria empty handed.
