Celta Vigo end their run of draws, beating Alavés 2-1 despite having three shots on target to nine

Celta Vigo had drawn four of their previous five league games before this one, and for an hour at Balaídos it looked like heading the same way. Then Ferran Jutglà broke through on 53 minutes, Javi Rodríguez doubled it on 71, and although Hugo Novoa pulled one back for Alavés with three minutes left, Celta held on for a 2-1 win that snapped the run.

Match facts

• 53' — Ferran Jutglà (Celta Vigo), assist Javi Rodríguez
• 71' — Javi Rodríguez (Celta Vigo), assist Iago Aspas
• 87' — Hugo Novoa (Alavés), assist Mariano Díaz

Javi Rodríguez was involved in both Celta goals — teeing up Jutglà for the opener before scoring the second himself, set up in turn by substitute Iago Aspas, on for the second half. Alavés' response arrived too late to matter, Mariano Díaz — another second-half introduction — setting up Hugo Novoa for a goal that cut the gap back to one without the time to find an equaliser.

Outshot but not outscored

The shots-on-target column tells the story Celta Vigo would rather forget happened at all: Alavés put nine efforts on target to Celta's three and still lost. Celta didn't win a single corner all afternoon, against four for the visitors. None of it mattered where it counted. Two shots on target from Celta became two goals; nine from Alavés became one.

Form going in

Celta's season had settled into a pattern of not losing rather than winning — one win and four draws in their previous five, including a goalless draw at Elche on the last matchday — with their only real statement result since August a 5-0 demolition of this same Racing Santander side on matchday 7. Alavés arrived on the back of three defeats in their last five, their most recent a 1-2 loss at home to Atlético Madrid on 10 October, though a win and a draw earlier in that stretch had kept them close to the European places.

What's next

Celta Vigo had gone into the round 11th on 8 points from eight games; the win should lift them clear of the group they had been stuck in since September. Alavés had been 7th on 11 points, one place outside the Conference League play-off spot, and this defeat is only their second time losing back-to-back league games this season — both figures pending the table's update for the rest of matchday 9.