Second Division - Day 26
Leaders Xerez were held to a 1-1 draw by third placed Rayo Vallecano on Saturday evening. Both teams had won their last five matches, but they had to share the points in the end. Collantes opened the scoring for the visitors midway through the first half after Chema could only push out a shot by Pachón, but Calle equalised a few minutes later, beating Cobeño with a shot from inside the area.
Hércules moved up to second pending Sunday's games after a 4-2 win over Las Palmas. Saúl gave the Canary Islanders an early lead, but Tote equalised and then set up Farinós for a second either side of half time. Delibasic made it three a few minutes later, and although Marcos Márquez scored again for the visitors, Sendoa wrapped things up with ten minutes to go.
Zaragoza move back up to within a point of the top three after beating Murcia 1-4. Ewerthon's early penalty was cancelled out on the stroke of half time by Montoro following some slack defending. But Ayala restored the lead with a header after the break, and Arizmendi set up Zapater and then scored the fourth himself for the final result.
Real Sociedad's hopes of going up seem to have disappeared though after a 2-1 defeat at neighbours Alavés left them eight points behind the promotion spots. Abreu headed the visitors in to the lead five minutes before the break, but second half strikes from Javi Guerra and Almirón, both following corners, gave the home side a much needed win.
Alavés climb out of the relegation zone ahead of Córdoba, who were leading at Girona right up until the fourth minutes of injury time. Natalio lost his marker to open the scoring five minutes after the restart, but Chuchu made it 1-1 with a late shot which took a deflection off Pierini.
Elsewhere Huesca beat Elche 3-2, a result which looked in the bag after Luis Helguera headed a first and Rubén Castro added a second from Roberto's pass either side of half time. José made it three on the hour mark with another header, but two late penalties from David Fuster gave the local fans a scare in the end. (28.02.09)
Tenerife consolidated second spot with a 3-0 victory over Celta on Sunday evening. Alfaro beat Notario with a shot from outside of the area and then set up Luna for him to head the second for the Canary Islanders within the first ten minutes. And Nino added a third on the hour mark to take his side to within three points of Xerez. The result signalled the end for visiting coach Pepe Murcia, who was fired soon afterwards.
Castellón are still in the running for going up after they beat fellow promotion candidates Salamanca 2-0. Ulloa headed in Arana's free kick to give the locals the lead ten minutes in to the second half, and Mario Rosas made it two with a quarter of an hour to go to keep his side within two points of the top three.
Levante moved up to eighth spot after beating bottom club Sevilla Atlético 1-2. Xisco Nadal started things off for the Valencia based side with twenty minutes gone, and Rubén made it two on the half hour mark. Barranco got one back for the youngsters just before the interval with a shot from outside of the area, but after substitute Cordero was sent off for a second bookable offence late on it was all over.
Gimnàstic are just two places behind Levante in the table after a 1-0 victory over Albacete. New signing José Marí got the only goal with a shot from the edge of the area with twenty minutes gone, and Moisés could have increased the lead when he had a goal disallowed for offside in injury time.
Eibar stay down in the relegation spots after a 1-2 defeat at the hands of fellow strugglers Alicante. Biel Medina headed the Basque side in front from Sutil's corner shortly before half time. But Pedro turned in an Abel Buades cross to equalise after the break, and Borja got the winner after Luis Gil set him up with three minutes to go. (01.03.09)
