News Archive

Match round-up - Second Division A, Day 28

Leaders Levante beat Elche 2-1 on Sunday evening to stay seven points ahead of Girona, and seventeen points above the third placed sides. The Valencia based team had not lost at home in a year, although they went behind in the second minute when Nino turned a rebound past Raúl Fernández, his 100th goal for the club. Early in the second half however the referee awarded a penalty to the locals for what he considered to be a hand ball in the area, and although Juan Carlos saved the spot-kick from Víctor Casadesús, the forward turned the ball back in to the net. And with three minutes to go Juan Muñoz converted a second penalty after Casadesús was tripped in the area to take the locals a step closer to an immediate return to the top flight. Only two points separate third from sixth, but there is then a four point gap to seventh place, currently occupied by Huesca after they beat Valladolid 1-0. Ferreiro got the only goal with ten minutes to go after a long shot from Akapo came back off the post to take his team above their opponents on head-to-head goal difference. Lugo drop two points below Huesca though after they were beaten 1-2 by Almería, a first away win of the season for the Andalusians and a great start for caretaker coach Francisco Fernández, who took over from Fernando Soriano a few days ago. Quique opened the scoring with less than a minute on the clock, and Fidel added a second after the break before Pablo Caballero scrambled one back a quarter of an hour later.

The result takes Almería off the bottom of the table, above Mirandés on goal difference and a point below Mallorca, who stay in the bottom four after a 1-1 draw at UCAM Murcia in the mid-day kick-off. Raillo headed the islanders in to the lead from a Culio corner on the quarter hour mark, but Jona saved a point for the hosts with a controversial penalty after Natalio fell in the area with ten minutes to go. UCAM stay three points above the drop zone, level with Nàstic, who are gradually moving up the table under Juan Merino after a last minute 2-1 win over fellow strugglers Córdoba. Rodri put the visitors in front early on after Pedro Ríos set him up, but Ríos was sent off for a hard tackle on an opponent with only a quarter of an hour gone. Two minutes later Bruno Perone headed in the equalizer from a Tejera free kick, and with the game in the fifth and final minute of injury time Manu Barreiro fired home the winner. Zaragoza moved clear of the danger zone though after they beat neighbours Numancia 3-0 in the last game of the night. Javi Ros opened the scoring after Lanzarote set him up on the half hour mark, and Angel made it two from the penalty spot after Xumetra was tripped in the area shortly before the break. And after the interval Marcelo Silva headed in a corner to give the Maños their first home win since mid-December. (05.03.17)

Girona just missed out on promotion a couple of seasons ago, but this year they look like they will be going up for the first time in their history after a massive 5-1 victory over last week’s fourth placed side Getafe on Saturday evening. With just over half an hour gone they were already three up, Kiko Olivas heading the opener, Borja García firing home the second, and Granell scoring the third from the penalty spot after Sergio Mora fouled Olivas in the area. Longo made it four with an hour on the clock, and although Portillo got one back for the visitors, the Italian striker notched up his second of the night near the end. The Catalans have opened up a ten point gap over the rest, Oviedo moving up level with Tenerife after a 2-1 win over promotion rivals Cádiz. Salvi put the Andalusians in front midway through the first half, but headed goals by Linares and Christian either side of half time, with assists from Saúl Berjón and Susaeta, took the Asturians a point above their opponents in the table. The other two games on Saturday both ended without goals, Alcorcón drawing 0-0 with Sevilla Atlético, and Rayo Vallecano doing likewise against Reus. It was a disappointing start for Rayo’s new boss Michel Sánchez, who took over from Rubén Baraja this week. (04.03.17)

Tenerife are up third in the table pending the rest of the weekend games after a 1-1 draw against Mirandés on Friday evening. Amath headed in an Aarón Ñíguez cross to put the Canary Islanders in front on the quarter hour mark, but Néstor Salinas equalized with a shot from outside of the area shortly before the break, and visiting keeper Sergio Pérez made several saves after the restart to earn a valuable point for his side. (03.03.17)