Avalos turns Gran Canaria into his own theatre

Las Palmas went into this one needing more than a shrug. Huesca arrived with enough of the ball about them to make a home crowd restless, and the Estadio de Gran Canaria wanted a reason to believe. It got one from the man in the middle of the three.

Damián Avalos ran the match from first whistle to last. Two goals, three shots, all three on target, one key pass, 53 of 63 passes found their mark, and 15.8 kilometres of ground covered. The numbers say a lot; the scoreline says the rest. Las Palmas 4-0, and the loudest noise was for Avalos, the player of the match at 9.1.

The Argentinian did not wait to be invited. He was booked on 24 minutes, which tells you he was in the argument from the start, and he kept his head after it. His two goals came inside a performance of real control, and Víctor Manuel Seoane matched him with two of his own, replaced on 82 minutes with the job done. Ismael Castro and Adrián Romero each supplied an assist, and José Luis, on at 65, added another.

Huesca were game for a while. They had 34% of the ball but ten corners and five shots on target, and two clear chances; this was not a walkover that flattered the hosts. David Arrieta put in the sort of shift that deserved better, winning six tackles and four interceptions, and Eneko Zubillaga carried a threat until he was withdrawn on 65. But Las Palmas had the man who decides these afternoons.

Jonay, who spent six seasons at Las Palmas before this move, will remember the ground less fondly than most of the 57 games he gave it.

Fourteen shots from the home side, twelve on target, and a midfield that kept the ball. The Second Division is a long, punishing league, and afternoons like this are what a promotion push is built on. Las Palmas have their conductor. Avalos is not a young man learning the trade; he is a 29-year-old who knows exactly what he is doing, and Huesca spent ninety minutes finding out.