Second Division - Day 26

Second placed Leganés kept up the pressure on Alavés pending their match on Sunday, a 1-2 win at Lugo on Saturday evening taking the Madrid based team to within a point of the leaders. Borja Lázaro put the visitors in front in the twentieth minute with a shot on the turn following Szymanowski’s assist, and although David López made it all square following a prolonged attack shortly before the break, Gabriel got the winner midway through the second half. Leganés stay three points ahead of Córdoba, who are back up to third place after a 1-3 victory at Ponferradina, their first win in five games. The Andalusians went two up by the break, Fidel getting on the end of a Stankevicius cross to open the scoring, and Xisco getting the second from a Víctor Pérez pass on the stroke of half time. Caiado got one back for the hosts with five minutes to go, but Markovic beat Moldován again in the last minute to hand new coach Fabri González a defeat in his first game in charge.

Nàstic drop to fifth place, a point below Córdoba, after a 2-2 draw at Mallorca. The Catalans raced in to a two goal lead with strikes by Mossa and Naranjo before the interval. Soon after the restart Reina saved a Brandon penalty after Xisco Campos fouled Oscar Díaz, but ten minutes later the locals were arded a second spot kick after Aníbal handled in the area, and this time Lago Junior didn’t miss. With ten minutes to go the visitors were left with ten men when Pablo Mari picked up a second booking, and just three minutes later Brandon made up for his mistake with the equalizer for the islanders. The result keeps Mallorca just above the relegation spots, a point above Albacete, who stay in the bottom four despite a 1-1 draw against sixth placed Mirandés. Víctor Curto picked up Portu’s pass to give the Manchegans a first half lead, but Alex Ortíz levelled it in the second half after keeper Juan Carlos dropped the ball at his feet. The visitors ended with ten men after Galán was sent off in injury time. Alcorcón meanwhile are up to seventh spot, just behind Mirandés on goal difference, after they beat bottom club Bilbao Athletic 1-0. David Rodríguez scored the only goal after Mayor played on a Fede Vega cross some ten minutes in to the second half to give his team their first victory in six matches. (20.02.16)

Alavés end the weekend two points clear at the top of the second division despite a 1-1 draw at home to struggling Almería on Sunday lunchtime. The visitors went ahead with less than a minute on the clock, Saveljich beating Fernando Pacheco after the keeper saved from Michel Macedo following a corner. And they held on until five minutes from the end, when they were reduced to ten men after Quique was shown a second yellow card for time wasting as he was being substituted. Three minutes later Raúl García headed the equalizer, and Manu Barreiro wasted two chances to win it for the locals in the dying minutes. It was a day for draws though, five of the six games ending all square, including four which finished one all. That included the match between Girona and Oviedo later in the evening, the point taking the Asturians up to third spot in the rankings. The visitors took the lead early in the second half with a Susaeta penalty after Alcalá fouled Edu Bedía in the area, but Alcalá made up for his mistake, beating Esteban with an impressive shot following a short free kick.

Osasuna stay just outside of the play-off spots after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Zaragoza. Both sides had chances in a lively first half, but with four minutes to go to the break Lanzarote beat Nauzet with a long shot to put the visitors in front. David García headed in a Roberto Torres corner to make it all square just two minutes after the restart though, and only a string of saves by Manu Herrera prevented the Pamplona based side from going ahead. With three minutes to go visiting defender Cabrera was sent off for a second bookable offence, and the Maños ended the day still two points below their hosts in the rankings. Elche meanwhile remain a point behind Osasuna after they drew 1-1 against Huesca. Fran Mérida fired the visitors into the lead midway through the first half, and only Javi Jiménez and the woodwork prevented him from making it two. Sergio León levelled it from the penalty spot however after Javi Ros pulled down Lolo in the area with ten minutes to go, and Huesca held on despite having Nagore sent off near the end.

Tenerife were in fact the only team to win on Sunday, a 3-1 victory over next to bottom club Llagostera taking them seven points clear of the drop zone. Nano put the Canary Islanders two up with only a quarter of an hour on the clock, the first after Moutinho’s shot came back off the post, and the second following a run from midfield. Imaz got one back soon afterwards though following a Querol assist, and the result was in doubt until Suso wrapped things up in injury time. Elsewhere Valladolid and Numancia remain safely ensconced in mid-table after they cancelled each other out in a 2-2 draw. Roger put the locals ahead after Juan Villar put him through with only four minutes gone, but strikes by Callens and Pedraza either side of half time, with assists from brothers Pablo and Luis Valcarce, turned the scoreline around. Roger saved a point for Miguel Angel Portugal’s team however with his second of the evening, the ex Levante striker beating Munir with a shot from outside of the area on the hour mark. (21.02.16)