Celta Vigo 2 - 1 Granada CF: Iago Aspas boosts Celta Vigo to victory over Granada

Posted Tuesday, April 26, 2016 by PA

Iago Aspas netted twice as Celta Vigo beat strugglers Granada 2-1 at home to move up to fifth place in the Primera Division.

Aspas converted a 16th-minute penalty to put Celta ahead, then added a fine strike in the 76th, seven minutes after the visitors had levelled when substitute Fran Rico's shot went in via a touch off Youssef El Arabi.

The result sees Eduardo Berizzo's men leapfrog Athletic Bilbao into fifth, while Granada remain 17th, a point clear of the relegation zone, with three rounds of matches to go.

A lively opening to the game saw Celta forward John Guidetti's shot saved by Andres Fernandez, seconds before Isaac Cuenca sent a delivery across the home box just inches from the goal-line, with no one there to finish.

Cristiano Biraghi then kicked out while trying to clear the ball from the Granada area, only succeeding in making contact with Guidetti, and the resulting spot-kick was confidently dispatched by Aspas.

Granada came close to equalising in the 40th minute when David Lomban headed against the bar.

And they continued to pressurise after the break, with Adalberto Penaranda soon bringing a save out of Ruben Blanco and Rico then looping an effort wide.

Three minutes later, it was 1-1 as Blanco diverted Penaranda's shot to Rico, who slipped as he struck but saw the ball nick off El Arabi and squeeze past the goalkeeper into the bottom corner.

Celta looked to respond swiftly, with substitute Daniel Wass having a shot tipped over by Fernandez within seconds.

Aspas then restored his side's lead as he registered his 14th league goal of the season, delightfully guiding a first-time finish past Fernandez having latched onto Nolito's pass.