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Second Division - Day 19

Las Palmas extended their lead at the top of the table to three points pending Sunday’s games after a 0-2 to victory at Barcelona B on Saturday evening. The youngsters had not won at home since October, and they caused few problems for Casto throughout the first half. With ten minutes to go to the break Nauzet put the Canary Islanders ahead after collecting David Simón’s long free kick before steering an angled shot past Ortolá, and the local keeper had a couple of saves to make before he was beaten for a second time with twenty minutes to go, Roque Mesa turning the ball in to the net after a defender had blocked a previous shot from Nauzet. Girona are back up to third after they won 1-2 at local rivals Llagostera, a first win in five for Pablo Machin’s side. Sandaza set up Mata to open the scoring in the eleventh minute, and Ramalho headed the second from Granell’s long free kick a quarter of an hour later. Ríos pulled one back for the hosts a few minutes later with an inswinging free kick which caught out Becerra, but they couldn’t prevent a defeat which leaves them further down in the drop zone.

Mirandés appear to have fully recovered after their bad start to the season, and they are now just a point off the play-off spots after a 1-3 win at Alavés in the first match of the new year. The visitors were two up by the break, Igor Martínez getting the first against his old side in the seventh minute, and Urko Vera connecting with an Alex García cross to make it two. The locals had two goals disallowed after the restart, and Barreiro hit the post before he finally beat Razak with a couple of minutes to go. However almost straight from the kick off Barahona made it three to extend his team’s unbeaten run to eight games. Osasuna are up into the top half of the table after they came from behind to beat Leganés 2-1. Borja Lázaro gave the visitors the lead from Alvaro’s cross following a quick counter-attack with an hour gone, but two goals by De las Cuevas turned the scoreline around, the first with a shot from the edge of the area after Nino set him up, and the second with a shot which took a deflection off Delgado to wrong-foot the keeper. Mallorca also clocked up a much needed win, Karpin’s side beating bottom club Albacete 2-0 to move four points clear of the drop zone. Both goals came at the start of the second half, Bustos firing a shot past Dorronsoro from the edge of the area, and Arana transforming a penalty after Mario Ortíz fouled Bigas inside the area. (03.01.15)

Two games kicked off around mid-day on Sunday, Valladolid returning to third spot after a 0-2 win at promotion rivals Zaragoza. Both goals were scored by Oscar González in the first quarter of an hour, the opener after Timor poked the ball to him following a prolonged attack with less than two minutes gone, and the second from a possible offside position after a through ball fell to him off Dorca. Borja felt himself unlucky to have a strike disallowed for a dubious offside before that though, Galaretta had a penalty appeal turned down when he was pulled back by Peña, and Javi Varas had to make a couple of saves from Borja. But the result was never in doubt, and the Maños fall to a first defeat since Popovic took over as coach five games ago. The result means they end the day two points off the play-off spots after sixth placed Ponferradina drew 0-0 at Lugo. Local keeper José Juan had to make important saves from Berrocal and Sobrino at the start and end of the match, and Aganza hit the crossbar for the home team after the interval, but in the end both coaches settled for a point.

Later in the evening second placed Sporting Gijón held on to their unbeaten record for another week after a 1-1 draw at Tenerife, although the result means that the Asturians drop two points behind leaders Las Palmas after they won on Saturday. The Canary Islanders started strongly, Raúl Cámara hitting the post before Ifrán opened the scoring with a well struck free kick on the quarter hour mark. However the visitors came back after that, and some five minutes in to the second half Ndi volleyed home the equalizer after Guerrero headed on Luis Hernández’s long throw-in. Sporting stay three points ahead of Betis, who remain in fifth place after they drew 0-0 at Alcorcón. Pepe Mel was back in charge of the Andalusians for the first time, just over a year after he was fired by them, but he was unable to inspire what would have been a fifth win in a row. Visiting keeper Adán did manage his fifth consecutive clean sheet, but the closest anyone came to scoring was when Rennella headed just wide of the post later on in the first half, and Rubén Sanz and Piccini were both sent off for second bookable offences in a physical match which saw no less than thirteen yellow cards and two reds.

Further down the table Sabadell got their first win under new coach Alex García, the Catalans beating fellow strugglers Recreativo 1-0 to move off the bottom of the table. Keepers Nauzet and Dani Sotres both had saves to make in the first half, and local defender Riau fired a shot against the post after the interval. The game appeared to be heading for a draw though until Collantes ran on to Hidalgo’s return pass to lift a shot past Sotres, taking his side to within two points of the Andalusians, who have now lost their last six matches. Sabadell are now level with Racing Santander, who stay in the relegation spots after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Numancia in the last match of the weekend. Sergi Enrich headed the visitors into the lead from a Julio Alvarez free kick with just over half an hour on the clock, but Miguélez made it all square some ten minutes into the second half, turning a shot past Munir after a previous volley from David Concha came back off the upright. (04.01.15)