Second Division - Day 40

Levante celebrated the second division title with a 3-1 victory over UCAM Murcia on Friday evening. López Muñíz’s side made sure of top spot last weekend, and there was a relaxed atmosphere in the Ciutat de Valencia stadium. Jona did give the visitors the lead with a long shot later on in the first half, but Juan Muñoz set up Natxo Insa for the equalizer before the break, and then scored twice himself after the restart. (26.05.17)

Getafe’s chances of overtaking Girona for the second of the direct promotion spots suffered a major blow after they lost 1-0 to sixth placed Valladolid on Saturday evening, and with the head-to-head goal difference between the two sides in their favour, the Catalans now only need one point from their next three games to go up. Raúl de Tomás had a strike ruled out for a borderline offside before the break, but with twenty minutes to go Alex Pérez headed the rebound past Guaita after the keeper could only push out a Joan Jordán free kick to make it fourteen points from the last six games for Paco Herrera’s side. Getafe stay in third spot however after joint fourth Cádiz could only draw 3-3 at regional neighbours Sevilla Atlético. Marc Gual scored twice for the youngsters before the break, and although Aketxe got one back after the restart with a well struck free kick, Ivi restored the two goal cushion from the penalty spot after Aridane fouled Matos in the area. Alvaro and Abdullah netted two times though in the last twenty minutes for the visitors to send the 7,000 or so travelling fans home with a point which keeps them in fourth place pending Tenerife’s game tomorrow.

Huesca stay just a point behind Valladolid in seventh spot however after they beat Lugo 1-0 in the Alcoraz stadium, Samu Sáiz getting on the end of a Brezancic cross to score what was to prove the only goal with five minutes on the clock. Further down the table Mirandés are the first side to be relegated after they lost 2-0 at Almería, the result taking the Andalusians five point clear of the drop zone pending Sunday’s games. Quique González got both goals for the locals, the first on the half hour mark with an overhead kick, and the second with ten minutes to go following an assist from Sergio Pérez, to send Pablo Alfaro’s team down after four seasons in the second division. (27.05.17)

Second placed Girona missed out on their first opportunity to win promotion to the top flight after they were beaten 3-1 by local rivals Nàstic on Sunday evening. After Getafe’s defeat on Saturday, Pablo Machín’s team only needed one point to secure their place for a first ever season in the first division, and with just a minute gone they appeared to be on track when Pablo Maffeo ran through to give them the lead. However some five minutes in to the second half Manu Barreira flung himself at Uche’s cross to head the equalizer, and Uche himself scored two more after that to tie up a first win for new coach Nano Rivas, who took over from Juan Merino this week. The result takes Nàstic out of the relegation spots, two points above Alcorcón, who were beaten 1-3 by Tenerife. Strikes from Lozano and Shibasaki (who scored his first goal for the club on his birthday) put the Canary Islanders two up at the break. Oscar Plano got one back for the hosts from a free kick soon after the restart, but Tyronne restored the two goal cushion a few minutes later, and the visitors held on to tie up fourth place despite having Camille sent off later on.

Girona’s opponents in the Montilivi stadium next weekend are Zaragoza, and a draw there would favour both sides, the Maños still not totally safe from relegation after drawing 1-1 with Rayo Vallecano. Pombo appeared to have given the locals the three points with a shot from outside of the area midway through the first half, but with the game in injury time Embarba made it all square to keep his team a point above their hosts in the table, enough to ensure another season in the “silver division”. Córdoba are now level with Zaragoza after they won 4-2 against Oviedo in the last match of the weekend, the result leaving the Asturians five points off the play-off spots. The Andalusians raced in to a three goal lead with just over half an hour gone, Piovaccari scoring twice, and Alfaro adding the third. After the restart Javi Lara made it four with a free kick, and a Saúl Berjón strike and a Linares penalty came too late to change the result.

The win takes Córdoba up to thirteenth, but even they are not fully safe going in to the last two weekends. Mallorca and Elche are struggling though after they both drew on Sunday, and they need to win their last two games to have any realistic chance of staying up. Mallorca had been recovering recently under new manager Sergi Barjuán, but a goal-less draw against Numancia left them three points away from safety. It was an important result as well for the visitors, who remain six points above the islanders in the table. Elche meanwhile stay level with Mallorca after they drew 1-1 wih ah Reus side who had already made sure of their place for next season a few days ago. Vitor Silva put the Catalans in front with twenty minutes to go, and although Sory headed in a Malonga cross soon afterwards to end a run of six defeats in a row, it was not the result they were looking for to get their fight for survival back on track. (28.05.17)