If you are not a member yet, you can sign up here

News Archive

Match round-up - Second Division A, Day 6

Two of the favourites for promotion, Celta and Valladolid, cancelled each other out in a 1-1 draw on Sunday evening, and both ended the weekend in mid-table. Visiting keeper Jaime had to save from De Lucas and Lago either side of half time, but midway through the second half Javi Guerra got on the end of a Nafti assist to open the scoring for the away side. It looked as if Celta were heading for a third defeat in a row until they were awarded a free kick on the edge of the area in the fourth minute of injury time, and Orellana stepped up to fire home the equaliser.

Earlier in the evening Córdoba beat neighbours Xerez 2-1 to move up to the play-off spots. Javi Hervás gave the locals an early lead when he beat Doblas after López Silva laid the ball back. José Marí and López Silva both hit the woodwork after the restart, and after Cordero was sent off for a second bookable offence, Borja García latched on to Pepe Díaz's centre to make it two. The ten men fought back though, José Marí lobbing Carlos Arias with three minutes to go to set up an exciting finish.

Murcia are gradually getting their act together after a poor start to their return to the second division, a 2-1 victory over Numancia taking them out of the relegation zone. They had to come back from behind though after Del Pino put the visitors ahead in the seventh minute after Alberto blocked a previous effort. Just three minutes later though Borja chipped Edu Navarro to level the scores, and just before half time Oscar Sánchez scored again following a corner to give Iñaki Alonso's side their second win in a row. (25.09.11)

Guadalajara are the surprise leaders of the second division after beating bottom club Cartagena 2-0 on Saturday evening. Playing for the first time in their history at this level, the Castilla-La Mancha side had two or three chances before Iván Moreno opened the scoring after Ryan Harper headed on Ernesto's corner with just over half an hour on the clock. The visitors were under new management after Javi López replaced his namesake Paco López midweek, and his new centre forward Goiria tested Saizar soon after the restart. But soon afterwards Anibal took advantage of another Esteban assist to beat Juanma at the second attempt, and Rodri could have added to the lead with a bit more luck later on.

Earlier in the afternoon Sabadell and Hércules cancelled each other out in a 1-1 draw. Both teams started the weekend joint leaders with Elche and Deportivo, and although two divisions separated the sides last season, it was the home side who took the lead when Artega beat Falcón from the far post after Eneko headed on Lanza's cross. The visiting keeper did well to stop a Lanza free kick soon afterwards, and Florian fired another chance wide. But Michel levelled the scores on the half hour mark, picking up a return pass from Adrián Sardinero to beat De Navas. After the break florian headed against the bar, and substitute Aganzo almost caught out De Navas with a shot from the half-way line, but in the end both managers settled for a point.

Deportivo began their game at Alcorcón with a chance of going top, but in the end they suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat which reminded some of the "Alcorconazo" which Real Madrid suffered in the cup two seasons ago. Within a quarter of an hour the locals were already three up, Agus starting things off in the third minute with a header from a Rubén Sanz corner. Miguélez beat Aranzubia again ten minutes later with a shot from outside of the area, and soon afterwards Quini made it three with a strike which deflected in off a defender. Worse was to come for the Galicians when they then had Colotto and Laure sent off for second bookable offences with ten minutes still to go to the break, and Abraham completed the scoring midway through the second half with another header after Quini had played on a cross. The win takes Alcorcón up to third, a point ahead of Depor in the table.

Las Palmas missed out on a chance to climb up to the play-offs spots, the Canary Islanders throwing away a two goal lead before losing 4-2 at Girona. Vicente Gómez put the visitors two up somewhat against the run of play, both goals coming from corners, the first a header and the second a deflection form David González's shot. However Corominas pulled one back before the break following a set-piece free kick, and after Herner was sent off the ex Espanyol midfielder scored his second of the evening, turning in a cross from the left wing. Las Palmas were left with nine men when Gómez was also given his marching orders for a second booking, and Corominas set up Moha for a third before Dani Nieto wrapped things up with a direct free kick.

Recreativo moved up level with Las Palmas after drawing 2-2 against Barcelona B. Both the visitors' goals were tinged with luck, the first coming midway through the first half when Sergi Gómez's clearance hit Sergi Enrich and bounced back in to the net. Riverola equalised with a header from Montoya's cross, and Tello gave the youngsters the lead shortly before half time after picking up a pass from Jonathan Dos Santos. However ten minutes after the restart Rodri went in to tackle Ximo on the edge of the area and only succeeded in looping the ball over the head of his own keeper, and although Espinosa hit the post and Arcas was sent off late on, Recre held on for the point.

Barça B are only just above the drop zone, level on points with Huesca, who beat fellow strugglers Gimnàstic 1-3 to move out of the bottom four pending Sunday's games. Camacho scored twice in the first half to put the visitors two up, the first a header from a corner and the second after running on to a long ball from midfield. Nàstic had a couple of penalty appeals turned down before they were finally awarded one on the hour mark after Clavero was sent off for a foul on Peragón, Powel converting the spot kick. But despite throwing everything forward they were unable to find the equaliser, and with the game in injury time Jokin Esparza made sure of the three points on a rapid counter-attack.

Nàstic drop to next to bottom spot, a point behind Alcoyano, who drew 1-1 at home to Villarreal B. The locals were looking for a first win, and Diego Mariño had to be at his best to turn a header from Choco Lozano round the post early on, However from the resulting corner Morcillo headed the opener, and Lozano hit the post a few minutes later. Pedro Vázquez rattled the bar at the other end for the visitors later in the first half though, and Fofo equalised with a well struck free kick just before the interval. After the restart Alcoyano felt hard done by when the referee awarded a free kick outside of the area when Kiko handled inside the penalty box, and although Carlos Tomás was sent off with twenty minutes to go, David porras's side were unable to take advantage. (24.09.11)

A top of the table clash on Friday night to open this weekend's games, with Almería beating Elche 1-3 to move above last week's leaders to first place in the rankings. Lucas Alcaraz's side are unbeaten this season, and with only a minute on the clock they took the lead when Ulloa got ahead of Edu Albacar to turn Rafita's cross past Juan Carlos. Rafita himself added the second just a minute after the restart, but with new men on the park Elche came back, Luis Loro in particular testing Esteban, and the visitors retrenched even further when Verza was sent off for a second bookable offence. Numbers were evened up with two minutes to go however when Etxeita was also shown a second yellow card, and Goitom lobbed the keeper to wrap things up before Linares scored a last minute consolation for the home side. (23.09.11)