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Second Division - Day 39

Tenerife are almost sure to go down this season, although they are not going to do so without a fight. The Canary Islanders beat promotion hopefuls Valladolid 3-2 on Saturday evening to keep alive their mathematical hopes of survival, although a point by either Nàstic or Salamanca on Sunday will seal their fate. Dubarbier lobbed Javi Jiménez to give the locals the lead on the quarter hour mark, but just two minutes later Javi Guerra levelled the scores, and four minutes after that David Amaral's team were left with ten men when Luna was shown a straight red card. When Sisi fired home a free kick just before the break it appeared to be all over, but Tenerife rallied after the restart, Nino scoring twice to at least give the home fans some cheer before the long hard winter which lies ahead of them.

Assuming Tenerife do go down, only one relegation spot remains, and Córdoba took a big step towards survival with a 5-1 victory over the already doomed Albacete. By half time they were already three up, Tena heading in Callejón's corner and Charles adding two more before the interval. Pepe Díaz made it four six minutes in to the second half after Callejón and Usero combined to set him up, and although Verza got one back from the penalty spot after Fuentes fouled Cristian on the edge of the area, Díaz picked up another assist from Callejón to complete the scoring with twelve minutes to go.

Córdoba move seven points above the drop zone pending the rest of the weekend's games, and Numancia stay three points above them after beating bottom club Ponferradina 3-0. The two on-loan Atlético Madrid players Cedric and Ibrahima worked together for Cedric to open the scoring midway through the first half, and Ibrahima was also on hand to help Del Pino score a second with ten minutes to go to the break. Sunny had to clear an effort off the line though and substitute keeper Eduardo (replacing the injured Lafuente early on) had to make a couple of saves before Ibrahima picked up Nagore's pass to wrap things up in injury time. (14.05.11)

The second division has another three weeks to go still, but Betis are already sure of promotion after this weekend's results. They only found out about though on the train back from Tarragona after losing 3-1 to Gimnàstic on Sunday lunchtime, Granada's defeat at Alcorcón later in the day meaning they are now sure of finishing in the top two spots. Pepe Mel's side went behind shortly before half time when Roversio turned Tuni's centre in to his own net, and although Rubén Castro equalised after Salva Sevilla set him up, Powel restored the lead from the penalty spot after Roversio fouled Bergantiños in the area. That meant a second yellow card for the defender, and with Belenguer also sent off a few minutes earlier, Betis were down to nine men. A couple of minutes later Virgili added a third to give the Catalans a vital win in their fight to avoid the drop (and to confirm Tenerife's relegation in to the bargain), and from then on it was ears to the radio until the news finally came in that Mel and his boys were waiting for.

Second placed Rayo Vallecano could join Betis in the first division if Elche lose tomorrow after the Madrid based side drew 0-0 at fifth placed Celta later in the evening. Despite the result it was a lively game, with Dani Giménez saving from Michu and Dani Abalo hitting the bar as the locals dominated the early minutes. Yoel kept out Trejo at the other end and Piti also hit the bar after the restart, but with a point enough for both sides to close in on their respective objectives, the game petered out to a draw.

Celta are now close to tying up a place in the play-offs, and Xerez are only three points off the qualifying spots after beating struggling Salamanca 2-0. Both sides had chances in the first half, Lombán clearing off the line from Edu Bedía and Bermejo going close at the other end before the break. The introduction of Antoñito early in the second half changed things though, the ex Sevilla striker beating Biel Ribas just five minutes after coming on. Juanjo came close to equalising when he hit the bar, but a few minutes later Antoñito wrapped things up with his second of the evening. With Nàstic winning earlier in the day, the defeat leaves Salamanca three points adrift of the Catalans in the last relegation spot.

Cartagena stay a point behind Xerez in the table after a 1-0 win over Girona. The only goal came in the fourth minute, Víctor converting a penalty after Migue fouled Botelho in the area. Jandro had a strike disallowed and Botelho and Lafuente missed good chances, but midway through the second half things fell apart for the Catalans when Peragón and Migue were both sent off by referee Hernández Hernández. In the last seven minutes Serra and Despotovic were also red carded to leave Girona with seven men, but the locals were unable to capitalize any further.

The match which interested Betis most though was at Alcorcón, where the locals beat Granada 2-0 to keep alive their own hopes of making the play-offs. The Andalusians started brightly but then disappeared, and Sergio Mora put the home team ahead from the penalty spot after Nyom caught Montañés in the face with a high kick five minutes before the interval. The result was in doubt though after that, Eladio pushing a Dani Benítez free kick on to the bar before substitute Quini ensured the three points with a second goal in injury time.

Further down the table, Las Palmas virtually made sure of safety after a high scoring 3-5 win at Barcelona Athletic. Muniesa's early strike was cancelled out by Ruyman, but top scorer Jonathan Soriano turned in a Balliu cross, and Tello made it three after Edu Oriol set him up. But by half time the Canary Islanders were level, Jonathan Viera converting a penalty after Carmona brought down Quero, and Sergio Suárez making it all square, and Viera scored two more in the first ten minutes of the second half to complete his hat-trick and take his side eight points clear of the bottom four.

Huesca and Recreativo are also mathematically safe after they drew 1-1 in the Alcoráz stadium. Toni gave the locals the lead with just under a quarter of an hour on the clock after the ball came back off the post following a goalmouth scramble, but Aarón equalised with along shot from just over the halfway line which caught keeper Cabrero out of position. Gilvan had a goal disallowed by the referee in the second half and Dani hit the bar at the other end, but both sides finally decided that the draw (Recre's 18th of the season) was enough. (15.05.11)

Rayo Vallecano will have to wait a few more days before they can join Betis in the first division, although Elche's 0-0 draw at home to Villarreal B in the Monday night game means that the Madrid based side only need one point from their last three matches to do so. The visitors were under new management, C team coach Molina taking over after Javi Gracia was fired a few days before following a string of poor results, and the point they got in this game takes them six points above the relegation spots. They have Spanish under 21 side's Diego Mariño to thank though for saving them the draw, the keeper in particular making two or three saves from Angel in the second half. Elche were not too unhappy with the result though which takes them up to third in the table, a point now above Granada and Celta. (16.05.11)