Gimnastic Tarragona
moved three points clear at the top of the table after a 1-2 win against
Catalan neighbours Lleida, extending their unbeaten run to 14 games in a
row. Some 6,000 travelling fans made up almost two thirds of a packed stadium,
but it was the home side who could have gone ahead early on when Bilic hit the
post and then headed another chance wide. Llera had a goal disallowed for
offside on the quarter hour mark, but a few minutes later did open the scoring
with a brave header from an Abel Buades free kick. Ismael hit the woodwork
close to the break as the visitors looked to wrap things up, and Cuéllar
did make it two just a couple of minutes after the restart with a free kick
which bounced past everyone. Juanlu volleyed one back soon afterwards, but Bolo
could have increased the lead when he shot wide near the end.
Nàstic's next match
is away against last week's leaders Recreativo, who drop to second after
a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Albacete. The home side had not won in
eight games prior to this, and although they dominated play they hardly created
any scoring opportunities against a well organized defence. Two minutes before
the break however they went ahead when Merino put through his own net trying to
cut a cross from Santamaría. Marcelino threw on Calle, Rosu and then
Barber early in the second half, and Rosu put local keeper Sanzol to the test a
few minutes later. But other than that neither side troubled the opposing
keeper, and Albacete came away with the much needed three points.
Elsewhere Elche came
back from a goal down to beat Real Madrid Castilla 2-1 with two strikes
in the last five minutes. The youngsters took the lead when Oscar Díaz
picked up a loose ball on the edge of the area to beat Unanua, and although
Cobeño did well to save from Nino and Víctor Gomis before the
interval, Martín wasted a chance to extend the lead after the restart.
The hosts levelled the scores with a Nino penalty after Cobeño was sent
off for fouling the striker five minutes from the end, and Toledo got on the
end of Nino's cross to head the winner past substitute keeper Codina in the
dying minutes.
Sporting Gijón
saved a point in a 2-2 draw after going behind twice at home to
Tenerife. The Canary Islanders had changed their manager again midweek,
Bernd Krauss taking over as their fourth coach of the season after David Amaral
was fired, and they got off to a good start when César Belli headed in a
free kick in the ninth minute. Calandria had a penalty appeal turned down at
the other end, but midway through the first half he headed an equaliser from
Juan's cross. However Cristo Marrero restored the lead before the break, and
the visitors appeared to be heading for a win before the otherwise reliable
Bernardo dropped the ball at the feet of Gerardo allowing him to score.
(15.04.06)
Levante took all
three points in their promotion battle with Numancia, beating their
opponents 1-0 to move up to within a point of third place. The two sides
started the day level in the table, with local coach Mané already being
questioned after a string of disappointing results. His side dominated the
first half though, Manchev and Riga going close early on and Harte and Alexis
bringing first class saves out of Juan Pablo, but they went in at the break
level. The visitors had clearly come for a point, and although Manchev hit the
post after the restart they seemed to be on track until seven minutes from the
end, when Riga finally beat the keeper on the follow up after Ettien had headed
a corner against the crossbar.
Almería held
on to third spot after drawing 1-1 at Racing Ferrol on Sunday evening.
Caretaker manager Gerardo Molina had taken over the reins for the Galicians
after Juan Veiga resigned midweek, and his side took the lead with a Juan
Carlos penalty shortly before half time when Carlos García was forced to
stop the ball from entering the net with his hand after a big mistake by keeper
Valerio. Bordeau came close to making it two when he headed over early in the
second half, but Ortíz picked up a pass from Soriano to equalise a few
minutes later. Substitute Joselito could have given Racing the win they needed
to get out of the relegation zone near the end, but he shot straight at the
keeper when free in front of goal.
Almería are now only
one point ahead of three teams, including Xerez, who themselves stay one
point ahead of Lorca after a 1-1 draw against the second division
debutants. Lucas Alcaraz's side went ahead midway through the first half when
Geijo headed the ball in on the follow up after his first effort came back off
the post. After that though they sat back to defend their lead, and Ramos,
Maldonado and Sava all went close before the break. Six minutes in to the
second half Maldonado beat Tete with a shot from outside of the area to level
the scores, but despite constant pressure the visitors held on for an important
point.
Ciudad Murcia are
also level with Xerez and Levante after defeating Valladolid 0-2, taking
their winning run to five matches in a row. Abel Resino's side were in control
right from the start, with Goitom having an effort saved by Bizzarri and then
hitting the woodwork midway through the first half, and the hosts didn't have a
shot at goal until O.J. Morales tried a long shot. Half time substitute Correa
wasted a chance and Ramis hit the post as the locals came back after the
restart, but Luque beat the keeper with a shot from the edge of the area and
Piti wrapped things up near the end to virtually end Valladolid's hopes of
promotion.
Ciudad's city neighbours
Real Murcia also had a good day after beating Málaga B
4-1, a result which keeps the hosts safely in midtable and leaves the South
coast side even closer to relegation. The visitors held their own in the
opening minutes, with Ador testing Juanmi early on, but Richi picked up a pass
from Samuel to open the scoring midway through the first half, and after that
their resistance tumbled. Richi added a second with a well struck volley just
three minutes later, and Acciari beat Nauzet with a shot on the turn soon
afterwards. Lobo Carrasco's side got one back with a Boselli header after the
restart, but Iván Alonso headed home a Palacios corner six minutes from
the end to take the pressure off coach Sergio Kresic.
Málaga B are still
two points above bottom club Eibar though after the Basque side lost 0-1
to Hércules, their sixth defeat in a row. The visitors thought
they had take taken the lead when Schiavi headed in a corner in the twentieth
minute only to have it ruled out for a foul, but five minutes later the
Argentinian defender did get his name on the score sheet when he deflected
Cámara's shot past Rubén Falcón following another corner.
Substitute Iván Palios headed a Magallanes corner just wide at the other
end after the restart, but Falcón had to be on his toes to stop Carlitos
from increasing the lead for the Alicante based side later on.
Castellón
moved out of the bottom four after a 0-2 win at Poli Ejido which takes
them just above Tenerife thanks to a slightly better goal difference. The East
coast side took an early lead, Tavares beating Kike with a shot on the turn
after Xavi Moré set him up. Toedtli went close with a couple of headers
at the other end and Raúl Jiménez did well to keep out Pedro
Vega, but Xavi Moré put the visitors further ahead on a rapid counter
attack five minutes in to the second half. It was the third home game in a row
that Poli have been unable to score, and they ended the weekend just three
places and four points above the drop zone. (16.04.06) |