Second Division - Day 12

Zaragoza moved up into the direct promotion spots for the first time in three years after a 0-0 draw at Mallorca on Saturday evening. With leaders Córdoba and Osasuna playing on Sunday, the Maños knew that a result would take them into the top two places. And they dominated the first half, Hinestroza and Ortuño going close, and Diamanka testing Wellenreuther. Bono (who has now gone over 600 minutes without letting in a goal) didn’t have a save to make until he had to keep out Pereira early on in the second half, and although Bianchi and Moutinho did try their luck later on, the visitors held on to extend their unbeaten record to seven games. Meanwhile Ponferradina and Mirandés are up to fourth and fifth respectively after they cancelled each other out in a 2-2 draw. The visitors went ahead twice, the opener midway through the first half when Alex García beat Santamaría on the follow up after the keeper could only push out a shot from Lago Junior. Alvaro Antón levelled the scores shortly before the break with a well struck free kick, but Lago Junior won the ball off Ignasi Miquel to restore the lead with twenty minutes to go. However with the game in injury time Djordjevic equalized again to keep up his team’s unbeaten home record, Ion Vélez getting himself sent off for his violent protests about a possible hand ball in the build up to the goal.

Alavés though drop to sixth after they lost 2-0 at Tenerife. The Canary Islanders were under new management, Pep Martí taking over from Raúl Agné midweek, and a revitalized side were on top throughout the first half, Pedro Martín hitting the woodwork twice and Aitor once. The goals though didn’t come until after the break, Pedro picking up a Cristo assist to open the scoring with just under an hour gone, and Omar beating Fernando Pacheco a second time shortly before the final whistle. Tenerife stay in the bottom four though, a point behind Valladolid and Leganés, who drew 1-1 in the Zorrilla stadium. The locals had not lost under new coach Miguel Angel Portugal, and they took the lead on the stroke of half time when Samuel Lorca caught out Serantes with a long shot. However Szymanowski headed in a Rubén Peña cross with ten minutes to go to save a point for the visitors, and the local fans whistled off their players at the end after another unconvincing performance. (07.11.15)

The fight for promotion from the second division is closer than ever after the top two teams both lost on Sunday. Leaders Córdoba stay two points clear of the rest though despite a 2-0 defeat at Albacete on Sunday evening. Local keeper Juan Carlos had to be at his best to save from Florin and Fidel early on, but the Manchegans felt they should have had a penalty for hands by Cisma before Jona opened the scoring following good work by Rubén Cruz at the start of the second half. With twenty minutes to César Diáz intercepted a poor back pass by Deivid to make it two, and any hope the visitors had of a comeback ended when Markovic was sent off for a second bookable offence near the end. It was an opportunity lost for the Andalusians, as earlier in the day their closest rivals Osasuna were beaten 2-1 by Elche. The Pamplona based side went ahead when Pucko scored following a corner with less than a minute on the clock. However a quarter of an hour later Sergio León equalized after Cifu and Alvaro combined to set him up, and the visitors were left with ten men when Javi Flaño picked up a second yellow card with an hour on the clock. Fifteen minutes after that Nauzet brought down Alvaro in the area, and Ilie stepped up to fire home the winner from the penalty spot.

Gimnàstic are back up to fourth spot, a point behind Zaragoza and Osasuna, after a 2-0 victory over Huesca. Emaná ran on to a Palanca through ball to open the scoring midway through the first half, and Jean Luc made it two after Leo Franco could only push out a shot from Palanca on the stroke of half time. However Machís, Fran Mérida and Saiz all went close in the second half as the visitors fought to get back in the match. Lugo are level on points with Nàstic after they won 0-1 at Girona, the side they deprived of promotion with virtually the last kick of the corresponding match at the end of last season. Sergio Marcos got the only goal with a long shot some ten minutes before the final whistle to leave the Catalans just a point outside of the relegation spots. Numancia are up to seventh after they beat Oviedo 1-0, Alex Alegría intercepting a bad Borja Gómez with eight minutes to go to shoot past Esteban and give his team their first win in six games. And Alcorcón drop out of the top six to ninth after they were held to a dull 0-0 draw by Almería, the point taking Joan Carrillo’s side off the bottom of the table pending the Monday night game between Bilbao Athletic and Llagostera. The new coach wasn’t there to see it though as he got himself sent to the stands for protesting near the end. (08.11.15)

One game on Monday night this week, Bilbao Athletic running out 2-0 winners against relegation rivals Llagostera to move off the bottom of the table. Santamaría headed the opener from an Unai López cross on the stroke of half time, and the youngsters had a chance to go further in front when Querol brought down Seguin in the area with twenty minutes to go. René managed to save Guarrotxena’s spot kick, but a quarter of an hour later the forward made up for his mistake, turning a shot past the keeper after picking up Villalibre’s back-heel pass. The result leaves the Catalans at the bottom of the pack, level on points, goals for, and goals against, with Almería. (09.11.15)