Second Division - Day 29

One match on Friday night in the second division, Elche and Alcorcón drawing 0-0 to leave both teams in mid-table. Chances were few and far between, the best a couple of shots from Pelayo and Iván Alejo near the end which keepers Dmitrovic and Juan Carlos kept out, and a last minute effort from Nino which hit the woodwork. (10.03.17)

It won’t be too long before Levante are mathematically promoted, and they took another big step towards an immediate return to the top flight with a convincing 0-4 victory at Valladolid on Saturday evening. Roger opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Pau Torres brought him down in the area midway through the first half, and Postigo made it two with a long ball in to the area which went over the head of the keeper in to the net. With a quarter of an hour to go Morales lobbed in the third, and three minutes later Jason rounded things off with the fourth. The result takes the Valencia based team a massive nineteen points clear of third place, currently occupied by Oviedo after they drew 0-0 at Numancia. The locals had the better chances, but they end the day in mid-table after a fourth game in a row without scoring.

Two other games on Saturday ended all square, Lugo remaining a point above Numancia after a 1-1 draw at Mallorca. Pablo Caballero gave the Galicians the lead with just over a quarter of an hour gone, but Lekic levelled it with a header from a Pol Poigéc centre with four minutes to go. Mallorca stay in the bottom four, a point above Mirandés, who drew 1-1 against UCAM Murcia. Jona headed the opener for the university side from a wide Basha free kick on the hour mark, but Guarrotxena equalized six minutes later with a header after Urko Vera set him up. Francisco’s team stay three points clear of the drop zone, level now with Córdoba, who clocked up a last minute 2-1 win over Zaragoza. Angel put the Maños in front following a quick breakaway just before the break, and Edu García, Dongou and Angel all wasted chances to increase the lead after the restart. Rodri made it all square however with twenty minutes to go, and in the fourth minute of injury time substitute Markovic (just back from a seven month injury lay-off) got the winner. (11.03.17)

With almost a third of the season still to go, the two direct promotion spots would seem to be already tied up after second placed Girona won 1-2 at regional neighbours Reus on Sunday evening. Second half goals from Portu and Sandaza gave Pablo Machín’s side a two goal lead, but substitute Alcaraz was sent off for a second bookable offence with six minutes to go, and Querol got one back before Edgar Hernández fired an injury time penalty over the bar. The Catalans have opened up an eleven point gap over the chasing pack after last week’s third placed side Tenerife were held to a 2-2 draw at sixth placed Getafe. The locals took the lead twice, Jorge Molina winning and converting a penalty midway through the first half, and Faurlín restoring the lead following a late corner after Lozano had levelled it for the Canary Islanders on the hour mark. However with the game coming to an end Cristo turned in an Aarón Ñíguez assist to save a point for the visitors, and substitute keeper Guaita was shown a red card for protesting from the bench.

Cádiz moved ahead of Tenerife to third after they beat Rayo Vallecano 1-0, Alvaro García picking up an Ortuño pass to score the only goal with ten minutes to go to the break. The defeat leaves the Madrid based team languishing down in next to bottom spot, level on points with bottom club Mirandés and with Almería, who could only draw 0-0 at home to Huesca, themselves now seventh after an eighth away game in a row without defeat. Nàstic end the weekend three points above the relegation zone though after they drew 2-2 at Sevilla Atlético. Delgado gave the Catalans the lead on the stroke of half time, but two goals from Ivi in as many minutes after the interval turned things around before Emaná levelled it again with twenty minutes to go. (12.03.17)