Second Division - Day 37
Leaders Real Sociedad were incapable of beating bottom club Castellón on Friday night, even though the visitors finished the game with eight players, and what looked a few weeks ago like a certain return to the top flight is now in doubt. The Basque side dominated throughout, but keeper Lledó put in a brilliant display with top class saves from Agirretxe and Zurutuza amongst others. With a quarter of an hour to go Mantecón was sent off for a second bookable offence, and in the dying minutes Rafita and Dani Pendín were also given their marching orders. Castellón held on though for a valuable 0-0 draw which keeps alive their slim hopes of salvation. Martín Lasarte's side stay top, although with only one win now in their last six games the teams below them are closing the gap. (07.05.10)
Relief for leaders Real Sociedad after the second and third placed teams also failed to win on Saturday. Levante were held to a 1-1 draw by Albacete, who were leading until substitute Rafa Jordà latched on to a Javi Guerra pass to equalise with three minutes left on the clock. David Vidal's side went in front with a quarter of an hour to go after Nuñez's shot took a deflection off Samuel to wrong foot Reina. Third placed Cartagena were beaten 1-0 by struggling Salamanca, who move out of the relegation spots as a result of their win. The visitors were left a man short when Cygan was sent off for a foul on Linares early in the second half, and Linares himself headed the winner a few minutes later after Toti crossed in from the wing.
All of that helped Betis, who move to within three points of the promotion spots after a 0-1 win at Gimnàstic. The crowd was swelled by some 2,500 travelling fans, and they saw both sides fail to convert chances until the 80th minute, when Emaná drove home a penalty after Fachan brought down Nacho. The Andalusians could have added to the lead a few minutes later from a second penalty had Mehmet Aurelio not slipped at the last moment and sent his spot kick up in to the stands, but they had already done enough to take the three points. Betis move a point ahead of Villarreal B, who were held to a 2-2 draw by Murcia. An early goal by Peyera was cancelled out by Marco Rubén, who beat Alberto on the follow up after the keeper saved his spot kick. Sergio Escudero drilled home a second penalty to restore the lead before half time, but Joan Tomás made it all square again with a couple of minutes to go.
Further down the table, the relegation battle was thrown even wider open by Real Unión's 2-3 win at Huesca. Gilvan gave the locals an early lead, but just two minutes after the restart Gorka Brit levelled the scores. And two goals in the last ten minutes from Juan Domínguez and Goikoetxea turned the scoreline around before Moisés got another one back for the home side. The Basque team move to within two points of their opponents, now only one behind Cádiz, who return to the bottom four despite a 1-1 draw at Las Palmas. Ogbeche opened the scoring for the Andalusians in the eighteenth minute, but after Ormazábal was sent off, Javi Guerrero equalised for the Canary Islanders ten minutes in to the second half. Elsewhere Córdoba and Recreativo kept themselves eight points above the drop zone after a 1-1 draw. Mora put through his own net with only two minutes gone to put the home side in front, but their local rivals saved a point with an equalising goal from Fidel near the end. (15.05.10)
Elche were another side to take advantage of the slip-up by the top three, a 1-0 victory over Celta on Sunday lunchtime taking them to within four points of the promotion places. The Galicians had the better of the first half, but a couple of minutes after the restart top scorer Jorge Molina headed in a corner to keep his side in with a chance of a return to the top flight. Later in the day Numancia's hopes of going up were virtually ended after they could only draw 1-1 with Rayo Vallecano. The visitors went ahead against the run of play on the half hour mark when Rubén Castro beat the offside trap to score past Edu, but Oscar López equalised soon afterwards with a well struck free kick. Numancia ended with ten men when Nagore was sent off with twenty minutes to go. (16.05.10)
Hércules missed a good opportunity to move back up in to the top three after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Girona in the Monday night game. Danciulescu put the Alicante based side ahead in the seventh minute with a low shot past Jorquera, but soon afterwards Xumetra equalised for the Catalans after a good run. Neither side particularly troubled the opposite keepers after that though, and the match petered out to what was the seventh draw of the weekend. Hércules stay a point off the promotion spots, and to make matters worse their midfield general Farinós was shown a red card after catching an opponent with his elbow in injury time. (17.05.10)
