Deportivo 1-1 Sporting: Depor Held By Battling Sporting Display

Deportivo La Coruna 1-1 Sporting Gijon Lineups, Stats
La Liga Results, Standings

Deportivo La Coruna had to settle for a share of the spoils as they were held to a draw by Sporting Gijon  at the Riazor despite dominating the game for large periods.

The home side should have had a penalty after just two minutes but somehow the referee waved play on after Juan Pablo clearly took Riki as the striker looked certain to score.

Depor maintained the initiative and Juan Rodriguez had an effort deflected just wide following a fine run from Jose Andres Guardado.

Sporting had their moments too with the lively Miguel De las Cuevas first firing straight at Daniel Aranzubia from the edge of the box but moments later he fired a free-kick straight at the wall from about 20 yards before thumping the rebound well wide.

After a frantic opening the game settled down midway through the half with neither side managing to assert themselves. Then the breakthrough came, shortly before the interval as Rodriguez rose to meet Sergio's set piece but his header crashed off the under side of the crossbar and Niouoi Lassad managed to get the rebound over the line to give Depor the lead.

It was a lead Depor took into the break and could have doubled after the break from a clever Riki backheel which was not far wide of goal and minutes later Sergio put Lassad through on goal but the Moroccan was stopped by a brilliant tackle from just as he pulled the trigger.

Despite dominating the second period Depor couldn't find the all important two goal cushion and the visitors gradually crept back into the game with De las Cuevas and Diego Castro in fine form.

Sporting could have had an equalizer shortly before the hour mark when David Barral met Gregory Arnolin's cross but his downward header was straight at Aranzubia, who was glad to claim it.

Then ten minutes later they found a leveller as De Las Cuevas' cross-field ball found Castro in acres of space and as Depor appealed for offside he round Aranzubia before slotting home to make it 1-1.

Depor thought they had made the perfect response minutes later following a period of pressure and three successive corners when Lassad nodded home off the post but he was offside.

Guardado then found Lassad with a great cross but he headed over in what was to be the last decent chance of the game for either side.

On the balance of play Sporting will certainly be happier with the draw as a dominant Depor deserved victory but a lack of quality in front of goal has cost them the three points in the end.

Paul Madden, Goal.com

For more on Spain click ahead to Goal.com's Spain homepage