Second Division - Day 30
Real Unión and Cádiz did themselves no favours after drawing 0-0 in the Friday night game. Both sides are currently languishing in the relegation zone in need of points, but it was the home side who started stronger, Casilla having to make saves from Gorka Brit and Abasolo before the interval. Brit rattled the woodwork twice after the restart, but in the end the scoreline remained unchanged. (26.03.10)
Strange results in the second division on Saturday, with none of the favoured sides able to win. Leaders Real Sociedad were beaten 2-0 at Córdoba, and Hércules could now overtake them if they can win on Sunday. The locals dominated throughout, Claudio Bravo saving a Pepe Díaz penalty before Arteaga opened the scoring shortly before the break. The Basque side were left with ten men when Xabi Prieto was sent off soon after the restart, and after Bravo had to be substituted, Juanjo rounded Zubikarai late on to make it two. Numbers were evened up when Richi was also red-carded near the end, but by then it too late to turn things around.
Third placed Betis also lost 0-1 at home to an improving Girona, the first time the Andalusians had lost at their Ruíz de Lopera stadium all season. To make matters worse the only goal was scored by ex Sevilla midfielder Cañas, who struck a deflected free kick past Goitia midway through the first half to make it 17 points for the Catalans in their seven games. Fifth placed Levante couldn't take advantage though, a 1-1 draw against Huesca leaving them still two points behind Víctor Fernández's side. The visitors surprised their hosts when Neru opened the scoring, beating Reina at the second attempt on the quarter hour mark. Xisco finally equalised with a couple of minutes to go, but Huesca held on despite having keeper Doblas sent off for a second bookable offence a minute later.
Villarreal B drop a point behind Levante after they too were beaten 3-2 by bottom club Castellón. Mantecón and Ulloa put the locals two up in the first half hour, and Palenca added a third soon after the interval. But their neighbours came back after that, Joan Tomás pulling one back soon afterwards and then converting a penalty to set up a nail-biting last twenty minutes for the home fans. Elsewhere Celta kept up their recent good form with a 1-2 victory at Rayo Vallecano, their third win in a row. Cellerino turned in a Vasco Fernandes cross in the first minute to put the Galicians ahead, and although Aganzo equalised from the penalty spot a couple of minutes in to the second half, Danilo took advantage of a bad clearance by keeper Dani Giménez to restore the lead.
Rayo find themselves just three points above the relegation spots after Albacete beat Las Palmas 3-2, a great start for new coach David Vidal. Javi Guerrero gave the Canary Islanders the lead with a quarter of an hour on the clock, but two goals in as many minutes by Stuani and Verza turned the scoreline around. Sousa made it three a few minutes before half time, and a second strike by Javi Guerrero two minutes from the end came too late to change the result. Murcia stay five points above the bottom four though after a 0-2 victory at Recreativo, ending the Andalusians run of nine games without defeat. Chando got the first on the half hour mark, and after Poli was sent off in the first minute after the restart, Pedro wrapped things up with a second goal a few minutes later. (27.03.10)
The trend in favour of the lower ranked teams continued in to Sunday, fourth placed Cartagena losing 0-2 at home to Elche, who are now only four points behind them in the table. Top scorer Jorge Molina put the visitors in front in only the eleventh minute, and the locals were left with ten men when De Lucas was red-carded early in the second half. Things got worse for Juan Ignacio Martínez's side when Etxeita was also sent off after giving away a penalty a few minutes later, and although Rubén saved Molina's spot kick, a second goal from Jesús Perera near the end ensured the three points for the away team.
Later in the day second placed Hércules were also beaten 0-1 by Gimnàstic, completing a disappointing weekend of the top four clubs. Visiting keeper Rubén Pérez was the busiest man on the park, saving from Farinós and Rufete amongst others, and Portillo also headed a good chance over the bar. But with the game in injury time Mairata got above the defence to head Morán's corner past Calatayud and give the Catalans a much needed three points. With all of that Numancia were the big winners of the weekend, the Soria based side beating Salamanca 1-3 to move to within a point of third place. The visitors raced in to a three goal lead within the first half hour, Nano setting up Lago Junior to open the scoring and Del Pino adding two more. Toti got one back for the hosts with eight minutes to go, but they couldn't avoid a defeat which leaves them just three points above the drop zone. (28.03.10)
