Second Division - Day 8

Lugo moved to the top of the second division pending Sunday’s games after a 3-1 win over Mallorca on Saturday. The islanders took the lead through Brandon following a fifth minute corner, but ten minutes later Pita equalized from a Pedraza assist, and with just under half an hour gone Joselu scored a second for the Galicians on a quick counter-attack. Local keeper José Juan had to make several saves either side of half time, but with a quarter of an hour to go Joselu volleyed home his second of the night and his seventh of the season after another corner. The defeat leaves Mallorca down in the relegation spots once again. Córdoba drop below Lugo to third though after a 1-1 draw at Zaragoza later in the evening. The Maños had won all their home games this season, but they went behind midway through the first half thanks to a hotly disputed penalty, Rodri converting the kick after the referee ruled that Casado had fouled Guille Donoso in the area. Just four minutes later however Cabrera headed the equalizer after Casado headed on a Lanzarote corner, and after that the locals were on top, Kieszek having to save from Juan Muñoz and Angel, and Lanzarote hitting the post. A point apiece in the end though, and Zaragoza end the day in sixth spot, still three points behind the Andalusians.

Huesca are just a point below Luis Milla’s side in seventh place after they beat Almería 2-0 in the first match of the weekend, the result leaving the visitors further down in the bottom four after a fifth game without a win. The Andalusians came out strongly early on, Quique in particular heading against the bar. However with ten minutes to go to the break Camacho got on the end of Carlos Akapo’s cross to head the opener past Casto, and soon after the restart Vadillo made it two, again from an Akapo assist. Huesca move above Elche, who lost 1-0 at Alcorcón, the result taking the Madrid based team out of the drop zone. David Rodríguez wasted a couple of chances for the locals before he finally connected with Samu’s cross at the start of the second half to score what was to prove the only goal of the match. Nàstic though stay at the bottom of the table after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Sevilla Atlético, and eight games in to the season they are still looking for a first win. Both goals came early on, Uche putting the Catalans ahead after good work by Alex López, but Bernardo Cruz making it all square soon afterwards with a header from a free kick. Local keeper Saja had to make a couple of important saves after that however to at least ensure a fifth draw of the current campaign for the hosts. (01.10.16)

Eight games in to the season, and Levante are already looking strong contenders for an immediate return to the top flight after they beat Valladolid 3-2 on Sunday evening to move three points clear at the top of the table. The visitors scored first though with only four minutes gone, Postigo’s attempted clearance hitting his own team-mate Iván López in the back and rebounding in to the net. With ten minutes to go to the break though Roger got on the end of Abraham’s cross to turn in the equalizer, and midway through the second half Jason connected with Iván López’s long throw to put the locals in front. Roger converted a penalty some six minutes later after Lichnowski fouled him in the area, but Ibán Salvador got another one back with four minutes to go, and after Jefferson Lerma was sent off there were some nervous moments for the home fans. Mirandés missed out on a chance to go joint second with Lugo though after they were held to a 2-2 draw at UCAM Murcia in the mid-day game although, like the Galicians (who they meet next weekend), they are still unbeaten so far. Jona headed the locals into the lead midway through the first half from Natalio’s assist, but by the interval the visitors had turned the scoreline around with strikes from Fran Cruz and Néstor Salinas. However Nono made it all square once again with ten minutes to go, keeping his side three points below their opponents in eighth spot. Reus saw their unbeaten record come to an end however after they lost 1-0 to regional rivals Girona, and they drop below Mirandés to fifth. Portu got the only goal of the game from Aday’s headed pass with a quarter of an hour to go to take Pablo Machín’s team up to sixth, now only one point below the newly promoted side.

Rayo Vallecano appear to have got their season back on track, and they climbed to within a point of the play-off spots following a 3-0 victory over Cádiz in the last match of the weekend. Embarba fired an early penalty against the woodwork after Servando fouled Manucho in the area, but the midfielder made up for his miss by scoring the opener from a Lass assist soon afterwards. With an hour on the clock Alex Moreno made it two after he was set up substitute Miku (who was booed by the local fans after a vitriolic argument with coach Sandoval!), and Miku himself scored the third from Piti’s corner a quarter of an hour later. Rayo’s neighbours Getafe are still struggling though despite a change of manager, and they stay down in the relegation zone after a 0-0 draw at Tenerife. Pepe Bordalás was in charge for the first time after Juan Eduardo Esnáider was fired last week, but his side were unable to find a way through, even after Jouini was given a second yellow card for diving early on in the second half. Numbers were evened up in the end however after Jorge Molina was also sent off after clashing with Germán. Still a long way to go though, and only five points separate sixth from twentieth place in another closely fought competition, Oviedo and Numancia more or less in the middle of the pack after they drew 2-2 in the Tartiére stadium. The visitors took the lead twice with a Regalón header early on, and a Manu del Moral strike on the hour mark, but a Toché header and an own goal from Callens levelled it both times. (02.10.16)