Valladolid 2 - 2 Deportivo La Coruña

Valladolid 2-2 Deportivo La Coruña

Updated: September 2, 2007, 3:29 PM ET

VALLADOLID, September 2 (Primera Liga) - Deportivo La Coruna had to come from behind twice to avoid a second consecutive reverse at the hands of promoted opponents, this time against Real Valladolid.

Once mighty Depor were humbled on the opening day of the season when they crashed to a 3-0 defeat to Almeria in front of their own supporters at the Riazor last week.

Twice they went behind on Sunday as Valladolid looked set to pick up their second win in consecutive games, after celebrating their top-flight return with a win at Espanyol.

Jose Antonio Garcia Calvo and Sisi Gonzalez were the scorers for the home side only for first Sebastian Taborda and Ivan Riki to equalise for the men from Galicia.

Miguel Angel Lotina's side at least backed up their promise that they would play better than they had done against Almeria but Valladolid will doubtless be pleased with a haul of four points from their first two matches since rejoining the elite.

Valladolid were playing their first home match in the Primera Liga since rejoining the big boys and made an enterprising start to the encounter.

Sisi had a shot blocked by Fabricio Coloccini and then Joseba Llorente fired wide in a strong opening from the promoted club.

Then it was the turn of Oscar Sanchez, back in the Valladolid side after a seven-month injury lay-off, to fire wide from 25 yards.

Antonio Rodriguez had a rare shot for Deportivo but was wayward with his finishing.

Sisi Gonzalez forced Deportivo goalkeeper Dudu Aouate into action again and Valladolid's pressure paid off just before the break.

Daniel Kome played in the corner and Calvo headed home from inside the penalty area.

Borja Fernandez could have made it 2-0 after the break but Dudu saved well and then Deportivo got back on terms.

Manuel Pablo Garcia played in the cross and Taborda found the net with a header.

With 20 minutes to play Valladolid were back in front after a well-constructed raid.

Llorente, the goal hero against Espanyol, played the ball in from the right and Sisi found the bottom-left corner with his finish.

Valladolid went out in search of a goal that would kill the game and Kome had a shot blocked by Coloccini.

Riki was the goalscorer, doing well to find the net with a left-footed finish.

Dudu came to the rescue again for the visitors from Galicia when he fielded a shot from Llorente.

Jose Luis Mendilibar will be impressed at the way his side has acclimatised to top-flight football since winning the Segunda Division title last season but Lotina will be relieved to get his first point on the board after his team spent much of the game on the back foot.