Second Division - Day 37
Hércules moved to within a point of the promotion spots after a 3-1 victory over second placed Tenerife on Saturday evening. Delibasic scored twice in the first half and Aguilar added a third before the break, and Nino's strike after the restart couldn't prevent a first defeat in eighteen games for the Canary Islanders. Zaragoza stay in third spot, now just a point behind Tenerife, after a 3-0 win over Celta. Ewerthon and Jorge López put them two up midway through the first half, and Vicente wrapped things up near the end.
Rayo Vallecano are still in the race to go up though, and they remain three points off the top three after thrashing Córdoba 5-0. Salva got the first shortly before the break, and goals from Michel, Piti (2) and Jesús Perera completed the rout in the second half. Real Sociedad kept up their recent good run as well with a last minute 1-0 win over Albacete, although their chances of promotion are now remote. The Basque side were helped by their opponents, Mainz putting through his own net in injury time, a few minutes after Iker Begoña got himself sent off.
Down in the lower reaches, neighbours Alavés and Eibar did themselves no favours after drawing 1-1. Edu Albacar gave the home side hope with twenty minutes to go, but Biel Medina equalised soon afterwards. Both remain in the bottom four, together with Alicante, who are now three points behind Alavés after beating Las Palmas 0-1. Peragón headed the only goal on the half hour mark. With five games to go though several teams are still not safe, including Murcia and Huesca, who drew 0-0, and Girona who lost 2-1 at Elche. Matamala gave the Catalans hope of a point when he equalised Saúl's strike before half time, but Miguel got the winner after the restart. (16.05.09)
Leaders Xerez are all but sure of a first ever place in the first division after a 1-0 win over Castellón on Sunday evening. Mario Bermejo got the only goal late in the first half to take the Andalusians on to 75 points, eight clear of fourth placed Hércules. Elsewhere Salamanca moved up to seventh in the table after a 1-2 win at Levante, goals from Miku and Salva Sevilla ensuring the victory before Rubén Suárez got one back. And Gimnàstic ensured another season of second division football after coming from behind to beat bottom club Sevilla Atlético 1-3 earlier in the day, with Diop scoring twice after the break for the Catalan side and Víctor heading another in between to overturn Carreño's first half goal. (17.05.09)
