Almeria 0 - 0 Deportivo La Coruna - Stubborn Almeria take point

Posted Sunday, March 01, 2015 by PA

Almeria held on to claim a goalless draw at home to fellow strugglers Deportivo La Coruna after playing most of the second half of their Primera Division clash with 10 men.

Striker Koulossa Thievy was dismissed for second bookable offence in the 55th minute to leave his side a man down for a large part of the game.

However, despite Depor's best efforts, the sides could not be separated thanks to a lack of clinical finishing, meaning the game ended goalless.

Almeria defender Machado Michel was also sent off in the 90th minute but it was too late for Depor to press home any advantage.

The result left Depor 15th and Almeria 16th in the overall league standings, narrowly above the bottom three, in a game both sides would have been looking for a morale-boosting win to boost them away from the drop zone.

Depor's Jose Rodriguez Martinez had the first chance of the match when he sent a shot from the edge of the area wide of the Almeria goal in the 12th minute before Oriol Riera forced a save from Almeria keeper Julian from 12 yards out.

Martinez sent another chance over the bar in the 25th before Julian denied a long-range effort by the midfielder shortly before the half-hour mark.

The visitors were having all of the chances and Lucas went the closest when his shot from the middle of the area was blocked by Julian in the 33rd minute.

Isaac Cuenca also kept the Almeria stopper busy before the break with a drilled effort from the left of the box, but Almeria held firm and went in level at 0-0 at the break.

The home side started on the front foot early in the second half with Verza's 25-yard strike causing Depor keeper Fabricio to fumble a save, with Mauro sending the rebound wide of the right post.

Depor's chances were improved, though, when Almeria striker Thievy was sent off in the 55th minute for his second bookable offence of the match for a foul on Juanfran.

Riera fired over the bar twice shortly after as both sides continued to struggle to break the deadlock with Alex Bergantinos also sending his 79th minute strike from 20 yards skywards.

The clock ticked down and neither side were able to bely their place near the foot of the table by producing a match-winning piece of magic with the game ending in a somewhat frustrating goalless draw.

Michel was then sent off in the 90th minute as Almeria finished with nine men.