Second Division - Day 15

Leaders Osasuna lost 1-2 to Alcorcón on Saturday afternoon, and they could be off the top of the table if Córdoba can win on Sunday. Second division top scorer David Rodríguez put the visitors ahead midway through the first half with a low shot past Nauzet, and Oscar Plano came close to a second when he hit the post early on in the second half. A minute later Mikel Merino levelled it with a header from a wide Roberto Torres free kick, and Olavide hit the post before Plano got the winner with seven minutes to go after Nauzet could only parry his first effort. Alavés are now level with the Pamplona based side after they beat Mallorca 1-0 later in the evening. Pelegrín headed the opener from a wide free kick on the quarter hour mark, and Dani Pacheco almost caught Wellenreuther off his line a few minutes later with a shot from midfield which bounced off the crossbar. The islanders thought they should have had a penalty when Estrada handled in the area before the break, and young substitute James caused a few problems in the second half, but it was a fifth game in a row without a win for Chapi Ferrer’s side, and they stay in the bottom four as a result.

The three teams below Mallorca all played as well on Saturday, Llagostera moving a point above them after a 2-0 victory over Huesca. Pitu put the Catalans in front with a well struck free kick before the break, and Juanjo made it two after Chus Herrero headed on a Samu corner early on in the second half. Luis Fernández wasted a chance to get one back though with a penalty which he fired over the top on the third attempt, and the visitors ended with ten men when Machís was sent off near the end. Almería stay in last spot after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Numancia, although they will feel themselves unlucky that David Concha got the equalizer in the fifth minute of injury time after Casto could only push out a free kick from Dani Aquino. The Andalusians had taken the lead when Oscar Díaz headed an Iván Sánchez free kick into his own net in the fith minute. Almería are now level on points though with Bilbao Athletic, who were beaten 1-0 by Leganés. Borja Lázaro headed the only goal on the half hour mark to take the Madrid based side to within two points of the play-off spots. (28.11.15)

Córdoba are the new leaders of the second division, a 2-1 victory over Oviedo in the last match on Sunday taking them a point above Osasuna and Alavés. The Andalusians had not won in three weeks, but within fifteen minutes they were already two up, Fidel opening the scoring with a shot which took a deflection off a defender, and Nando García getting the second after Xisco put him through. The locals lost defenders Stankevicius and Héctor Rodas to injuries before the break, the latter in an unsuccessful attempt to stop a header from Toché from entering the net, but José Luis Oltra restructured his back four, and Razak was only troubled by an effort from Toché late on. Nàstic meanwhile are back up to fourth after they beat Mirandés 0-1 earlier in the evening. Visiting keeper Reina had several saves to make, but substitute Naranjo latched on to Emaná’s pass to score the only goal with the game already in injury time.

Zaragoza climb back into the play-off spots after a 2-0 win over Ponferradina, a result which saved the head of Ranko Popovic. The local coach was on an ultimatum after a string of poor results, but midway through the first half Pedro beat Santamaría after Diamanka played a corner back into the area. That was the Maños’ first goal in four matches, and with half time approaching Ortuño made it two after Diamanka and Dorca combined to set him up. The defeat leaves Ponfe out of the top six completely, level on points with Oviedo and with Lugo, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Valladolid in this Sunday’s mid-day game. The visitors were left with ten men when Mojica was shown a second yellow card at the start of the second half, and soon afterwards Joselu headed in a Molinero cross to give the Galicians the lead. However with five minutes to go Iriome handled in the penalty area, and Guzmán stepped up to drill home the resulting spot kick.

The second division table is as close as ever though, and although Valladolid drop to seventeenth, they are only five points away from the play-off places. Tenerife and Girona are level with Miguel Angel Portugal’s side after they drew 1-1 in the Heliodoro Rodríguez stadium, Sobrino picking up a Jairo assist to put the Catalans ahead with four minutes to go to the break, and Omar heading in a Suso free kick to make it all square a couple of minutes later. The visitors had Javi Alamo sent off for a second bookable offence though some ten minutes after the restart, and their keeper Isaac Becerra had to make important saves from Suso and Alberto to ensure the point. And Albacete and Elche are just a point ahead of the above two teams, the Manchegans beating Rubén Baraja’s side 1-0 to move away from the drop zone. The locals had to play with ten men for the last half hour after Miguel Nuñez picked up a second booking, but with six minutes to go Jona got on the end of a Samu cross just seconds after coming on as substitute to score the winner. (29.11.15)