Second Division - Day 31

No matches in the first division this weekend due to international commitments, but as usual there was a full programme of fixtures in the second division. The top two both dropped points though on Saturday evening, leaders Levante held to a 1-1 draw at struggling Mallorca. Jason got on the end of Roger’s cross to open the scoring for the visitors on the quarter hour mark, and only a couple of good saves by Santamaría prevented Morales and Casadesús from adding to the scoreline before the break. However Rober was sent off for a second bookable offence after the restart, and after Ansotegi headed the equalizer from Salomao’s free kick, Raúl Fernández had to keep out Lekic and others in the dying minutes. Levante extend their lead at the top to eleven points though after second placed Girona lost 2-0 at Oviedo in the last match of the evening. Toché had a strike ruled out for offside before he opened the scoring just a minute in to the second half, the striker heading in on the far post after Linares headed on a Susaeta corner. Some eight minutes later Toché added a second after Johannesson put him through, and local keeper Juan Carlos made saves later on from Pons and Borja Garcia to ensure three points which takes the Asturians to fourth place pending Sunday’s games.

Valladolid stay outside of the top six however after they were beaten 1-2 by Nàstic in the first match of the weekend. Bruno Perone gave the Catalans the lead shortly before the break after Stephane Emaná’s free kick fell to him, but Juan Villar made it all square from the penalty spot after Xavi Molina brought him down in the area soon after the restart. Manu Barreiro ran through to lift a shot past Becerra however with a quarter of an hour to go to take his team three points clear of the drop zone. Alcorcón now find themselves in the bottom four after a 3-1 defeat at Almería, the Andalusians moving to within a point of their opponents in the table as a result. New coach Luis Miguel Ramis saw Quique González head his side in front from Motta’s cross midway through the first half, and although David Rodríguez got one back following a free kick some twenty minutes afer the restart, Quique restored the lead with another header from Fidel’s free kick before setting up Antonio Puertas for the third (from a possible offside position) in injury time. Rayo Vallecano are out of the relegation spots however, Michel’s team climbing above their next-door neighbours Alcorcón on goal difference after picking up a point in a 0-0 draw at Numanica. Alex Moreno had a headed goal ruled out before the break after the linesman ruled that the cross from Lass had gone out of play, and keepers Aitor and Gazzaniga had saves to make, but in the end both teams settled for a point. The locals end the day in mid-table after a sixth match in a row without scoring a single goal (25.03.17)

Levante end the weekend even closer to promotion despite their draw on Saturday, and they now have a nineteen point gap over third placed Cádiz after the Andalusians lost 0-1 to Tenerife on Sunday evening. Amath tested Cifuentes a couple of times, and Alvaro García had a good chance blocked by a defender, but the game appeared to be heading for a draw until Amath got on the end of an Aitor Sanz cross to score the winner with three minutes to go. The Canary Islanders are now a point behind their hosts in joint fourth spot with Oviedo, and Getafe stay in the top six after they beat Lugo 2-0 in the mid-day game. Chuli opened the scoring midway through the first half after Roberto could only push out a cross from Alvaro Jiménez. With an hour on the clock Pablo Caballero was sent off for the visitors after clashing with Molinero, and ten minutes later Jorge Molina added a second after Chul set him up. Huesca though are just a point below the Madrid based side after they won 1-3 at bottom club Mirandés later in the day. Vinicius got the first for the visitors in only the fifth minute, and Carlos David headed in a corner before Urko Vera headed one back from another corner on the stroke of half time. Vinicius made it three though after Akapo’s centre deflected to him some ten minutes in to the second half, and the locals ended with ten men when Eguaras picked up a second booking a few minutes later.

Mirandés are still only four points away from safety though, and Córdoba are just a point above the drop zone after they lost 1-0 at neighbours Sevilla Atlético. The only goal came on the quarter hour mark, Kieszek bundling the ball in to his own net after he saved a long shot from Marc Gual, and Caro and his defence kept out Rodri, Pedro Ríos and the rest to ensure three poimts which takes the youngsters up to ninth. Zaragoza are now five points clear of the bottom four after they beat Elche 0-3 in the last match of the weekend, a good start for new coach César Láinez, who took over from Raúl Agné a few days ago. All the goals came in the first half, Angel starting things off with a shot in off the post, Pombo making it two with a long effort from midfield which looped off a defender over the keeper, and Angel netting his second of the night shortly before the break. UCAM Murcia also inched away from the relegation spots after they drew 0-0 at Reus, the university team now a point below the Maños, and still three behind their hosts. The Catalans will rue a missed penalty though after Ricardo Vaz was brought down by Góngora before the break, the Portuguese forward actually scoring from his first spot kick, but sending his second attempt over the bar after the referee ordered a retake for encroachment of one of the local players. With eleven games to go though it is still very tight, and there are only nine points between eighth placed Valladolid and nineteenth placed Alcorcón. (26.03.17)