La Liga match report: Celta Viga 1 Cordoba 0

Celta Vigo ended their 10-game winless run in La Liga with a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Cordoba on Saturday night.

Celta had not enjoyed league success since they shocked Barcelona at the Nou Camp on November 1, and their three-month barren spell has seen them slide from European contenders to mid-table also-rans.

Ninety-one days had passed since Joaquin Larrivey's second-half goal beat Luis Enrique's Barca, but this time the Argentinian's forward partner Nolito was Celta's match-winner with a superb second-half strike.

Celta began the game brightly and Nolito had a half-chance within 90 seconds, but his long-range header was never really going to trouble Juan Carlos and the Cordoba goalkeeper gathered.

Santiago Mina found himself in a better position to score five minutes later but despite being only six yards out he dragged his shot wide of the target.

Mina had another clear-cut chance to give Celta the lead on the 10-minute mark and, while this time he found the target, Carlos was on hand to repel his drilled 12-yard effort.

Cordoba took a while to settle into the match but Celta keeper Sergio had to be alert to keep out Deivid's long-range effort on the half-hour mark.

Carlos topped that save with a spectacular effort of his own seven minutes before half-time to keep out Mina's header and then denied Larrivey in equally impressive circumstances just before half-time.

Carlos could do nothing, however, 11 minutes after the restart when Nolito unleashed a curling first-time shot from the edge of the penalty area to give Celta a well-deserved lead.

Chances were few and far between after the breakthrough and Florin Andone's speculative effort from 30 yards was easily collected by Carlos.

Celta boss Eduardo Berizzo introduced midfielders Alex Lopez, Nemanja Radoja and Pablo Hernandez after his team got their noses in front and his players were rarely tested in the remaining minutes as they secured a long-awaited victory.