Celta and Levante draw as Ryan keeps the hosts at bay

Celta and Levante played out a 0-0 draw at Balaídos after the home side failed to find a way past Mathew Ryan. The Levante goalkeeper protected his team’s point from the opening minutes to the final whistle, as Celta kept searching for a goal.

Javi Rueda thought he had put Celta ahead, but his effort was ruled out for offside. Pablo Durán then had another attempt disallowed after a video review. In stoppage time, Mathew Ryan denied Durán’s final chance, with the forward appearing weary after the demands of the match.

Levante packed the midfield and forced Celta to look for openings out wide, where the visitors also closed down the available space. The home side brought on Hugo Álvarez and Javi Galán for Javi Rodríguez and Javi Rueda, then switched to a back four. Aspas was denied by Ryan, who also stopped a Durán header from the captain’s cross. Aspas later hit the wall with a free kick after Dela fouled Hugo Álvarez near the edge of the area.

Celta increased the pressure late on. In the 79th minute, Swedberg set up Durán, whose two efforts were both saved by Ryan. A minute later, the goalkeeper also kept out Javi Galán’s right-footed shot after another pass from the Swede. In the 13th minute, Brugué had answered for Levante with a left-footed effort from outside the area that went narrowly wide after a pass from Olasagasti.

It was the first 0-0 between the sides in 21 meetings. Celta extended its unbeaten home run in Liga to five matches, but has already drawn seven times and won only twice in 12 rounds. It sits 11th on 13 points, two ahead of 17th-placed Levante on 11. Across 12 matches, Celta has two wins, seven draws and three defeats, with 10 goals scored and 10 conceded. Levante has two wins, five draws and five defeats, with 16 goals scored and 21 conceded. Mundo Deportivo reported that Levante is still without an away win, but kept a clean sheet for the first time in eight rounds thanks to Ryan.