MADRID, Aug. 27 -- Granada returned to the Spanish BBVA Primera Liga league after a 35 year absence with a 1-0 loss against Betis this Saturday night.
There was great expectation and a packed house in the El Carmines Stadium for the game against a Betis side that also returned to top flight action in the Andalusia derby, but the game failed to catch fire with few chances at either end and only two shots on target all match.
The match was decided by a late header from Betis striker Ruben Castro, although neither team did anything to suggest they will do anything other than struggle this campaign.
Valencia striker Roberto Soldado scored a hat-trick as Valencia scored two late goals to defeat Racing Santander 4-3 in the Mestalla Stadium.
Soldado scored at both ends in the opening five minutes, putting his side ahead in the first minute of the game, but four minutes later he deflected a corner into his own net to make the score 1-1. Lautaro Acosta then put the visitors ahead on the quarter hour with a shot from inside the penalty area.
Adrian Gonzalez made it 3-1 for the visitors early in the second half and Valencia looked to be heading for defeat, but new signing Adil Rami gave them a lifeline when he made it 2-3 just a minute later.
Racing were well-organized and looked as if they would hang on for the win, but Soldado scored twice in the last two minutes to give Valencia what had looked like an unlikely win.
The day kicked off with Sporting Gijon entertaining Real Sociedad and Real striker Imanol Agirretxe had the honor of scoring the first two goals of the season as his side took a 2-goal lead.
Agirretxe scored after 34 and 65 minutes, before Miguel de las Cuevas gave Sporting hope three minutes later when he slotted home a penalty following a foul by Carlos Martinez, who was sent off to leave Real Sociedad to hang of for rest of the match with a player less. E