Second division - day 39

Only one point separates the three teams battling for the two remaining promotion spots after Sporting Gijón were held to a 0-0 draw at Alavés on Sunday. With the home side down in the relegation zone it was a tense match, with chances few and far between. Leaders Numancia made sure of going up last weekend, but with the pressure off they fell to a 3-2 defeat at Córdoba. An Arthuro header and a Boris own goal put the locals two up before Rafa Jordà got one back before the break, But substitute Pineda restored the two goal cushion on the hour mark, and Carmelo's late strike for the visitors was unable to prevent the locals from clocking up their third victory in a row.

With three matches to go, nobody else has even a mathematical chance of promotion. However any one of the sides in the lower half of the table could be relegated in one of the closest finishes on record. Bottom club Poli Ejido are now only three points away from escaping the drop zone after a 2-0 win over Elche, Usero and Jorge Molina getting the goals in the second half of the match. Xerez stay in the bottom four though after they drew 0-0 at Eibar, who held on for a point despite playing for the last quarter of an hour with an outfielder in goal after their keeper was sent off.

Cádiz are now only a point above the drop zone after they lost 0-2 at home to Gimnàstic. Goals from Moisés and Calle were enough to take the Catalans three points above their opponents in the table. Racing Ferrol are level with the Andalusians after they lost 2-1 to Salamanca, David Rodríguez getting a late winner for the locals after Carlier had equalised Quique Martín's first minute strike. Las Palmas are completely safe though after a 1-2 win at Hércules, Marcos Márquez winning it with a penalty three minutes from the end to take his side up to seventh in the table. (25.05.08)

Málaga climbed back up to second spot in the table pending Sporting's game on Sunday after beating Sevilla Atlético 0-1. The Andalusians had only won two of their last nine games, but they went ahead when Calleja connected with Baha's cross to beat Javi Varas midway through the first half. Juan Ramón Muñiz's side stay a point ahead of Real Sociedad, who moved up to third with a 1-2 victory at Tenerife. Martí opened the scoring for the Basque side early on, but Oscar Pérez headed the equaliser for the Canary Islanders later in the first half. Substitute Víctor won it for the visitors though with his first touch after coming on.

More emotion in the fight to avoid relegation, with Albacete winning 0-2 at Castellón to move out of the bottom four. Noguerol put them on their way with a first minute strike, and David Bauza headed the second with ten minutes to go. Granada 74 stay in the drop zone though after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Celta. Luque put them ahead from the penalty spot just a minute in to the second half, but Michu equalised later on, and Luque missed a last minute penalty which would have given the home side the three points. (24.05.08)