Second Division - Day 9

Osasuna extended their lead at the top of the table after a 1-0 victory over Albacete on Saturday evening. Things didn’t go all their own way though, Nauzet having to save from Samu in the opening minute, and the visitors having the better of the play until Nino picked up a return pass from Javier Flaño to open the scoring in the twenty-fifth minute. After the restart Nauzet saved a Rubén Cruz penalty after the striker was brought down by Miguel Flaño, but the Pamplona based held on after that, with two more of their talented youngsters, Otegui and Javi Martínez, making their debuts later on.

With the two teams below the leaders not playing until Sunday, Oviedo took advantage to leapfrog up to third spot after a 3-2 win over Alcorcón. Toché put the Asturians ahead in the ninth minute after Susaeta’s shot came back off the post, and the veteran striker made it two some twenty minutes into the second half after Koné set him up. Fernando Román got one back though, and the visitors hit the bar before Rivera connected with another Susaeta assist to restore the two goal cushion. However David Rodríguez set up an exciting finish when he got on the end of a corner to complete the scoring in injury time. Nàstic are level with Oviedo on points though after they beat bottom club Bilbao Athletic 2-1. Reina saved an early Guarrotxena penalty, and with half an hour on the clock Jordi put the Catalans in front with an impressive shot into the far top corner of the net from some thirty yards out. Guarrotxena levelled the scores just three minutes in to the second half after Santamaría’s shot came back off the bar, but a quarter of an hour or so later substitute Jean Luc got the winner after cutting in from the right to beat Jon Ander.

Mirandés are now two points behind Oviedo and Nàstic after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Mallorca. Carlos Terrazas’ side went two up by half time, Galán heading in an Alex García free kick in the fifth minute, and Salinas taking advantage of a poor clearance by Wellenreuther to make it two a few minutes later. However the epic midweek cup win at Oviedo took its toll after the break, and the islanders came back to save a point, Sissoko picking up a pass from Brandón to beat Raúl Fernández, and Javi Ros making it all square from Pereira’s cross midway through the second half. A 2-2 draw as well between Leganés and Girona, a result which left both teams in mid-table pending Sunday’s games. Mantovani latched onto a loose ball in the area to give the Madrid based side the lead in the twentieth minute, and Gabriel headed in an Eizmendi cross for his team’s second soon after the restart. However Mata pulled one back after a shot from Felipe Sánchez came back off the post, and Jairo saved a point with a last gasp goal after Mata headed against the same post with the three minutes of injury time already exceeded, the substitute rather stupidly getting himself sent off for taking off his shirt to celebrate the goal having already picked up an earlier booking. (17.10.15)

Elche are back up to the play-off spots pending the rest of the weekend matches after a 2-3 victory at managerless Almería in this Sunday’s mid-day game. Quique González gave the locals the lead with a shot which Pol let in with six minutes to go to the break, but before the half time whistle Alvaro headed in a long Alex Martínez free kick to level the scores. Sergio León took advantage of a hesitant Casto to nip and score a second for the visitors with twenty minutes to go, and Armando headed a third in off the crossbar before Eldín completed the scoring with a well struck free kick near the end. The defeat leaves the hosts in next to bottom spot, and despite their midweek cup victory, the club are expected to name a new manager in the next day or two to take over from caretaker coach Miguel Rivera, who himself replaced Sergi Barjuan a couple of weeks ago.

Córdoba stay level with leaders Osasuna after a 3-2 win against third placed Numancia on Sunday evening. The visitors went ahead in the seventh minute, Oscar Díaz converting a penalty after he was brought down by Héctor Rodas. Pedro Ríos levelled it though a few minutes later after Xisco’s shot came back off the post, and shortly before the interval Ríos set up Florin to turn the scoreline around. A mistake by local keeper Razak let in David Concha to square the match once again soon after the restart, but with seventeen minutes to go Florin got on the end of a wide Ríos free kick to beat Munir for a third time and hand the Soria based side their first defeat of the season.

Zaragoza are up to third after they beat Tenerife 2-0, the result leaving the Canary Islanders just above the drop zone. The Maños took the lead with a hotly disputed penalty after the referee ruled that Raúl Cámera had fouled Ortuño in the area with twenty minutes gone, the striker converting the resulting spot kick. And Angel wrapped things up with a second penalty after Dani Hernández brought him down in the area in injury time, Suso getting himself sent off after picking up a second booking for protesting. Alavés are out of the play.off spots though after they lost 1-0 at Lugo, the Galicians drawing level with their hosts in the table thanks to the win. The only goal came early on, Pablo Caballero controlling a cross from Manu to beat Pacheco in the eighth minute. Jonathan Pereira could have extended the lead, but José Juan had to save from Manu García and others to ensure a first win in five games.

Huesca and Ponferradina remain two points below Lugo after they cancelled each other out in a 1-1 draw. Mainz opened the scoring for the locals with twenty minutes gone, but Alvaro Antón equalized under controversial circumstances near the end, his corner entering the net directly with local keeper Leo Franco complaining that he had been pushed by Pablo Infante. It was Ponfe’s first goal away from home this season, and it prevented the Aragón based team from picking up the first three point haul in their Alcoraz stadium. Llagostera meanwhile beat fellow strugglers Valladolid 3-1 to move out of the relegation spots and leave their opponents down in the bottom four. Juanjo picked up Samu’s long throw to get the opener in the first minute, and although Masó turned a cross from Manu del Moral into his own net early on in the second half, Benja and Juanto added two more for the Catalans in the last ten minutes. (18.10.15)