Second Division - Day 18

Leaders Córdoba were beaten 2-1 by Elche on Friday evening, and they could be off the top of the table by the end of the weekend if Alavés win at Ponferradina on Saturday. Things went against the Andalusians in the twelfth minute when Deivid was sent off for bringing down Alex Moreno in the area, Sergio León converting the resulting penalty. Just three minutes later León got his second of the evening after Razak could only block his first shot, and although Florin got one back almost immediately with an angled shot, any hopes the visitors had of saving something ended when Pineda was also shown a red card for a hard tackle on Mandi near the end. (18.12.15)

Alavés will end the year at the top of the second division after a 0-1 victory at Ponferradina on Saturday evening! Córdoba’s defeat the day before left them with a chance of catching the Andalusians, although to do so they had to win in a stadium where nobody has done so this season. The locals were also looking to bounce back after their cup defeat at Eibar, and they had the better chances at first Caiado missing a good chance and Khomchenovskyy hitting the post either side of half time. Toquero brought a good save out of Santamaría after the break though, and with an hour on the clock the ex Athletic striker headed in a free kick to give his team the three points. Osasuna meanwhile got back to winning ways, and they are back up to third after a 1-3 win at Numancia. The Pamplona based side had only picked up one point from their last three games, and they could have gone behind had Nauzet not saved an Oscar Díaz penalty following a foul by Miguel Flaño midway through the first half. However after the restart the visitors went two up with headed goals by Buñuel and Unai García, the first from Nino’s cross and the second following a corner, and although Natalio got one back with eight minutes to go after Gaztañaga set him up, Pucko wrapped things up following a quick counterattack with the game already in time added on.

Nàstic stay a point behind Osasuna in fourth place though after they beat Zaragoza 3-1, a result which cost the job of visiting coach Popovic, who was sacked the following day. The Catalans took the lead shortly before the break, Jean Luc beating Bono on the follow up after the keeper saved form Rocha, and before the interval Reina saved an Ortuño penalty after the local keeper had fouled Cabrera in the area. Fali made it two soon after the restart following a corner, and although Isaac replied for the visitors with five minutes to go, Naranjo got a third for the locals just two minutes later. Elsewhere Mallorca and Girona cancelled each other out in a 1-1 draw and they both move on to nineteen points, with the islanders still occupying the last relegation spot, and their opponents just above them on goal difference. Alvedaño appeared to have given the home side the win when he headed in a Damià Sabater cross on the half hour mark, but with the game coming to an end Kiko Olivas equalized for the Catalans. The future of caretaker coach Pepe Gálvez is now in the air, as his side have only taken four points from the three games that the club president gave him to prove himself. (19.12.15)

Oviedo finish 2015 in third spot after a 1-0 victory over bottom club Almería in the last match on Sunday evening. Last season two divisions separated these sides, but the visitors had not won since early September, and they went behind somewhat against the run of play when Toché headed in a corner in the eleventh minute. Julián had to keep out the striker after that, and Susaeta hit the crossbar before the break, and although Esteban had to save from Cuéllar near the end, the Asturians held on to take the three points. The defeat signalled the end for Almería coach Joan Carrillo, who was fired soon after the match ended having not achieved a single win in the nine games that he has been in charge of. Earlier in the evening Alcorcón beat Albacete 1-0 to take the Madrid based team into the play-off spots, David Rodríguez getting the only goal of the game in the twentieth minute after picking up a long ball and firing a shot past Juan Carlos. The defeat leaves the Manchegans down in the bottom four, below Mallorca and Girona on goal difference.

Leganés drop out of the top six though after they could only draw 1-1 at Huesca. Machís hit the post for the locals before the interval, and with just under an hour gone the Venezuelan striker beat Serantes to open the scoring. However just four minutes later Sastre made it all square after an effort from César came back off the upright, leaving the Aragonés based side just a point above the relegation spots going in to the Christmas break. Mirandés meanwhile stay two points below Leganés after they could only draw 0-0 at struggling Llagostera. Local keeper René had to save a couple of times from Sangalli, and his opposite number Raúl Fernández had to keep out Pitu before the break, and with a couple of minutes to go Abdón Prats had a strike ruled out for a borderline offside. In the end though both coaches settled for a point which leaves the Catalans still in the bottom four, albeit only two points away from safety.

Elsewhere Valladolid appear to be getting their season back on track, and they are now just a point below Mirandés after a 4-1 victory over Tenerife, their first home win in five matches. The locals kcked off a point below the Canary Islanders in the table, but the turning point came midway through the first half when Alberto was sent off for bringing down Rodri in the penalty area, Oscar drilling home the resulting spot kick. André Leao set up Juan Villar for a second a few minutes later, but Choco Lozano got one back with just over half an hour gone to put the visitors back in the game. However two goals in the last twenty minutes by Villar and substitute Guzmán handed Tenerife their first defeat since Pep Martí took over some seven games ago. (20.12.15)

One second division game on Monday evening to finish off the calendar year, Bilbao Athletic and Lugo drawing 1-1 in the San Mamés stadium. The locals wanted points to get off the bottom of the table, and Luis Milla’s team needed a win to move up into the top six. Iriome was lucky to be let off a penalty appeal however when he handled in the area early on, and soon afterwards David López put Lugo in front against his old side. Lekue hit the post at the other end though before he levelled the scores shortly before the break, and the “Lion Cubs” could have won it had substitute Guruceta not hit the woodwork again later on. The result takes Ziganda’s team a point above “red lantern” Almería, and leaves the Galicians a point below the play-off spots going in to the new year. (21.12.15)