Off the wire
• China's Ding upset by Perry in snooker Masters  • Urgent: Japan's core machinery orders gain 1.3 pct in Nov.  • Recast: Man plotting attack on U.S. Capitol arrested: FBI  • Great white shark terrorizes Australian beach  • Nigerian military repels terror attack in northern state  • Roundup: Canadian stock market tumbles on gloomy global growth forecast  • Astronauts back in space station's U.S. segment after false alarm  • Chicago agricultural commodities closed mixed  • Apple gears up for bumper China harvest  • Man plotting attack on U.S. capital arrested: FBI  
You are here: 　 Home

Favorites through as Spanish Cup quarter finals take shape

Xinhua, January 15, 2015 Adjust font size:

With just two games of the last 16 of the Spanish Kings Cup knockout tournament to be played, the draw for the quarter-finals of the competition became much clearer on Wednesday night.

Sevilla will take on Espanyol after quickly capitalizing on their 2-1 away win last week. Kevin Gameiro and Iago Aspes made it 2-0 on the night before Wednesday's return leg was half an hour old.

Gameiro scored his second of the night before the hour to make it 3-0 on the night and 5-1 on aggregate and Denis Suarez made it 4-0 soon afterwards.

Meanwhile the question hanging over Granada is whether or not coach Joaquin Caparros will get the sack given that his side have not win since September.

Gerard Moreno's 27th minute away goal gave Villarreal an important advantage against Real Sociedad as they looked to defend their 1-0 first leg lead.

Carlos Vela equalized before the break to give the home side hope but Geovani Dos Santos put the game beyond reach with just over 15 minutes remaining.

Esteban Granero again levelled the scores on the night and Real Sociedad coach, David Moyes was sent to the stands for complaining as Villarreal booked their ticket in the next round.

Athletic Club Bilbao are also in the last eight, although Ernesto Valverde's side only qualified on away goals after a 2-0 home defeat to Celta Vigo saw their tie end 4-4 on aggregate.

An own goal from Xabi Etxeita and a Fabian Orellana penalty early in the second half gave Celta hope, but the visitors failed to create clear chances in the remaining minutes to cause a major upset.

Athletic will now face Malaga in the last eight, while Getafe, who qualified thanks to an Alvaro Vazquez goal at home to Almeria, will take on Villarreal in the quarter-finals of the competition.

Tuesday saw Malaga and Espanyol book their places with the last eight and Thursday ends the last 16 ties when Real Madrid entertain Atletico Madrid needing to overcome a 2-0 first leg defeat and Barca defend a comfortable 5-0 away to Elche.

The winners of those two tied will face each other in what is bound to be the most interesting tie of the last eight. Endi