Deportivo La Coruna 2 - 3 Sporting de Gijon: Sporting Gijon off the mark with victory at Deportivo La Coruna

Posted Monday, September 21, 2015 by PA

Sporting Gijon picked up their first win of the Primera Division season by seeing off local rivals Deportivo La Coruna 3-2 in a thrilling game at Riazor.

Roma loanee Antonio Sanabria scored twice in the opening eight minutes to get the visitors off to a fantastic start, but the Galicians fought their way back through goals by Juanfran and Luis Alberto, only for Alex Menendez to restore Sporting's lead 11 minutes before the break.

Deportivo dominated the second half but were unable to find another equaliser, although Lucas Perez struck the woodwork and Alberto saw a curling shot go narrowly wide.

Sporting had failed to score in each of their first three games back in the top flight, but took the lead after just three minutes, when captain Alberto Lora turned a defender and then delivered a sweeping cross for Sanabria to head home.

The Asturians doubled their lead just four minutes later thanks to the determination of Barcelona loanee Allen Hallilovic, who battled to keep the ball in play and then released Lora with a backheel flick, and the full-back again delivered a perfect cross for Sanabria to head in.

Depor looked rattled by their dismal start but soon found composure and pulled a goal back on 16 minutes when Juanfran's flicked header from a corner crept in at the far post.

They levelled 11 minutes later thanks to Alberto's low driven effort and then thought they had taken the lead, but Sidnei's header from a free-kick was correctly ruled offside.

The hosts were then delivered another sucker punch as Hallilovic burst forward on the break and played in Menendez, who drilled the ball into the far corner, grabbing what proved to be the winning goal.