Second Division A - Day Forty

Unión Deportivo Las Palmas started the last match of the day knowing that a victory would give them promotion to the first division next year. Although their two closest rivals both won, results just below the top three went their way, with none of the teams from fourth to eighth place picking up more than a point. By half time they were three up, with two from Eloy, and they ended up winning 4-1 in front of a 20,000 crowd. Sergio Kresic's team, which includes Croatia's Robert Jarni and England's Vinny Samways, return to the top flight after 12 years, during which time they dropped down to the second division B. Villarreal consolidated second place and are now three behind the leaders on 65 points, only two points away from promotion after winning 2-4 away against Córdoba. Gaitán scored two, and Craioveanu made two goals and was the man of the match. The top two play each other in Villarreal next week. Osasuna moved to within two points of Villarreal and three points clear of the fourth placed teams with a convincing 5-0 victory over Tenerife, who were more interested in losing to damage the interests of their Canary Island rivals Las Palmas (finally without effect). With two games to go the top three are looking good, with fourth placed Extremadura losing 3-1 to Albacete, for whom ex Barcelona and Atlético Madrid star Delfin Geli scored twice. Fifth placed Salamanca were held at home by Badajoz, and although Bonilla gave them the lead in the second half, Sabino scored a late goal from the penalty spot to end the match 2-2. Lleida were the winners of the day in a strange match in which both goalkeepers, Busquets and Lampón, were sent off. With three substitutions made in the Getafe side, Luca was forced to put on the green jersey, and Lleida took advantage to score two late goals to win 3-0. They move up to fourth, level on 60 points with Extremadura and Salamanca. Mérida looked as if they were going to move up the table leading bottom club Toledo by a single goal by David late in the first half, but Toledo's David equalised in the last minute. That left Mérida one point adrift of the three teams above them on 59 points. They still have a mathematical chance of going up however, as do Sporting and Levante, both of whom stay on 58 points after losing 2-1 to Leganés and 4-1 to Compostela respectively. Compostela's victory moves them into a relatively safe position on 47 points, two more than Getafe on 45. Other than Toledo, who are now mathematically down, and Atlético Madrid B, who go down by virtue of the relegation of their A team from the first division, the two other teams in the relegation spots did themselves no favours. Logroñes lost at home 0-1 to Eibar and stay on 43 points, and Recreativo lost away to Atlético B by the same result and remain on 42.

See our second division results and league positions tables for details.

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