Second Division - Day 31
Levante moved up in to the top three pending the rest of the weekend's matches after beating Numancia 0-1 in this week's Friday night game. The Valencia based side started the weekend a point behind their opponents in the table, but they move ahead of them thanks to a twice taken Rubén Suárez penalty early in the second half after Javier Flaño had fouled Juanlu. Lago Junior and Del Pino both came close to levelling the scores after that, but they couldn't get past visiting keeper Reina. (02.04.10)
Cartagena are back in the promotion spots after a 0-1 victory at Las Palmas on Saturday evening. The East coast side had been losing ground recently, but Toché had a goal disallowed in the first half, and a couple of minutes after the break Samuel gave away a penalty on Víctor Fernández which the veteran striker converted. Javi Guerrero missed a good chance before the interval, and Marcos Márquez shot wide with five minutes to go, but otherwise the Canary Islanders didn't cause too many problems for visiting keeper Rubén.
Elche are still in with an outside chance of promotion, but they could have been better placed had they not thrown away a two goal lead at home to Rayo Vallecano. Trejo dribbled through to open the scoring in the twentieth minute, and Jorge Molina added the second shortly before the break from the penalty spot after he was brought down by Albacar. Trejo was sent off a couple of minutes later though for a second bookable offence, and three minutes after the restart Pachón turned in Jofre's cross to narrow the gap. Ten minutes later Coke made it 2-2 with a header from Albacar's centre, and the locals held on with nine men after Molina also picked up a second yellow card near the end.
Gimnàstic and Recreativo will end the weekend in mid-table after cancelling each other out in a 1-1 draw. Jorge headed in Campano's corner to put the locals in front in the thirteenth minute, but Carmona equalised for the Andalusians ten minutes later with a shot from outside of the area which Rubén Pérez couldn't stop. Nàstic stay a point ahead of their opponents, still two behind Córdoba after Lucas Alcaraz's side drew 0-0 at Huesca. Visiting keeper Raúl Navas was the star of the match, in particular with second half saves from Neru and Gilvan.
Huesca are now only three points off the relegation spots after Albacete beat Murcia 0-2. Both goals came in the last couple of minutes, soon after local defender Sergio Fernández had been sent off, Sousa charging down an attempted clearance by De Coz, and Antonio López scoring the second on a counter-attack. It was a second win in a row for new coach David Vidal, and his side move above Salamanca, just two points now behind their hosts. Five points below them Real Unión are still fighting to avoid the drop, a 0-1 victory at Celta keeping their hopes alive. The Basque side were left with ten men when Aitor Sanz picked up a second booking midway through the second half, but with ten minutes to go Hugo Mallo was sent off for giving away a penalty on Juan Domínguez, and Eneko Romo stepped up to drill home the spot kick. (03.04.10)
Leaders Real Sociedad took a big step towards a return to the top flight after a 1-0 win over second placed Hércules on Sunday lunchtime. The Basque side started strongly, Griezman and Bueno testing Calayatud before Nsue opened the scoring, following up after a shot from Bueno came back off the bar. Calatayud was in action either side of half time to keep out Bueno and Zurutuza, but Zubikarai also had to be on his toes to save from Rufete soon afterwards, and Tote and Kiko both had shots cleared off the line later on. Real kept control after that though to clock up an important victory which takes them six points clear of their closest rival, albeit that the head-to-head record is against them after a 5-1 defeat in the first leg.
The relegation battle this season looks like it will be going down to the wire, with no less than eight teams within five points of the drop zone. Salamanca now find themselves in the bottom four after losing 1-0 at Girona on Sunday evening, their third defeat in a row. Peragón got the only goal for the Catalans with a shot which a defender deflected in to his own net in the twentieth minute to give his side their sixth win in eight games. Cádiz are now only two points behind Salamanca in the table after they beat bottom club Castellón 1-0. De la Cuesta got the winner on the half hour mark following a corner to leave their opponents well adrift at the foot of the table. (04.04.10)
Betis dropped out of the top three after a 2-2 draw at Villarreal B in the Monday night game, although they will be thankful for a point after falling behind twice. Jefferson Montero put the locals ahead five minutes before the break after taking advantage of a rebound to beat Goitia, but Emaná equalised against the run of play after Caffa set him up ten minutes after the restart. Montero put the home side back in front soon afterwards, but Caffa levelled the scores once again with a direct free kick late on which keeper Juan Carlos allowed to bounce in off his post. (05.04.10)
