Alaves top Las Palmas in duel of La Liga laggards

Alaves played their best football of the 2017-2018 La Liga season here in a 2-0 victory over visiting UD Las Palmas.

With the win, Alaves have 12 points, enough to overtake Las Palmas for 18th place on Friday, reports Efe.

The hosts were the stronger side from the opening whistle and the first scoring chance came in the fourth minute, when Alfredo Pedraza aimed for the near post only to see the ball hit the outside of the goalkeeper's net.

Alaves kept up the pressure and the effort bore fruit in the 23rd minute as Ibai Gomez knocked in the rebound after keeper Lizoain stopped a shot from the distance by Pedraza.

Hungry for more, the home side continued to press and it took a fine save from Lizoain to prevent Gomez making it 2-0. At the other end of the pitch, Alaves keeper Fernando Pacheco was tested twice in quick succession by Oussama Tannane just minutes before half-time.

Las Palmas displayed more ambition after the re-start, but it was Alaves who got the next goal on a strike by Munir El Haddadi in the 55th minute.

Munir had a chance for a second in the late stages of the match and Las Palmas could count themselves lucky to have conceded only two goals.

--IANS

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