Second Division A - Day 33

Third placed Zaragoza beat Terrassa 0-2 on Saturday evening to keep up the pressure on the top two. Paco Flores's side took the lead in the seventh minute through Galletti after good work by Soriano, and added a second near the end after substitute Yordi was set up by Galletti. The Catalans came close to scoring in between when Keko hit the post and Monty brought a good save out of Lainez from a free kick, but otherwise they did not trouble the keeper. After a good start to the season they have now only taken five points from their last nine games, and they drop to sixteenth, only four points above the relegation spots.

Mixed fortunes for the Canary Island clubs on Saturday, with Tenerife losing 2-1 at Sporting and Las Palmas beating Salamanca by the same result later in the evening. Tenerife were outgunned by their opponents, with an excellent Villa chipping Aragoneses for the opening goal midway through the first half and adding a second five minutes after the restart after the defence failed to clear Juan's cross. Paunovic headed one back a couple of minutes later and Charcos had a last minute effort cleared off the line by Christián Díaz, but the Asturians held on to move ahead of their opponents in the table.

Las Palmas consolidated their sixth position with their win over Salamanca, although it was not a convincing victory given that their opponents finished with nine men. The islanders took the lead in the third minute through Mario, but Enguix levelled the scores midway through the first half from a free kick. Two minutes later Cacá was sent off after picking up a second yellow card for diving, but the home side failed to take advantage and did not get back in front until a quarter of an hour from the end when Rubén converted a penalty. Visiting defender Noguerol was shown the red card later on in the half.

A 2-1 scoreline in the Andalucian derby as well, with Poli Ejido beating Córdoba to end their recent run of four defeats in a row. David Prats headed the first goal for the locals after a mistake by the defence, Poli's first goal in five games, but Montengro equalised on the stroke of half time with a well taken free kick. Aira headed home a corner though late in the second half to restore the lead, leaving Córdoba back down in seventeenth place, only two points above the drop zone. (26.04.03)


Murcia are back on top after they beat Leganés 0-1 on Sunday lunchtime. David Vidal's side needed a victory having only picked up one point from their last two games, but the Madrid based team put a tough fight in a first half where both managers were forced to substitute injured players. Ismael hit the bar for the visitors on the stroke of half time as they started to get on top, and two minutes after the restart they scored what was to prove the winning goal, Richi outleaping the defence to head Isach's cross past Raúl. Leganés stay in the bottom four, having now lost their last three games.

Murcia move a point ahead of Albacete, who came back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at home against fourth placed Levante. The visitors took the lead on the half hour mark with an Amato penalty after Oscar Montiel handled the ball in the area, and Congo added a second goal in the first minute of the second half, running through onto a long pass to round Roa and score. Ferrando made three quick changes, finally bringing on Mikel with an hour on the clock, and the striker headed his team back into the game within a minute of entering the field of play. It was not until the fifth minute of injury time though that Simeón hit the equaliser, his long free kick bouncing past everyone and in to the net.


It now looks like a four horse race for the three promotion spots after fifth placed Xerez were held to a 1-1 draw by Racing Ferrol on Sunday evening. Bernd Schuster's side had several chances in the first half, with Calle, Mendoza and Selu all failing to take their opportunities, but Mena finally gave them the lead early in the second half after good work by Zárate. However the Andalucians relaxed after that, and Jaio got on the end of Pablo's free kick in the fourth minute of injury time to save a point for the visitors, who remain in twentieth spot. The result means that Xerez have now gone ten games without defeat, although they are now five points behind Levante and eight off the promotion spots.

Ferrol were the only one of the bottom five sides to pick up a point, with Leganés. Oviedo, Badajoz and Almería all losing. Oviedo were beaten 4-2 in a high scoring match at Numancia, although they were in with a chance of a draw until an injury time goal by Aranda finished them off. Pacheta had headed the home side into the lead in the first half, and although Idiakez equalised soon after the break, a headed goal by Ojeda and a Fagiani penalty after Raúl had brought down Pacheta put them firmly back in front. However Geni got one back, and although Oli was sent off for a second yellow card, the visitors kept up the fight right to the end.

Badajoz threw away a one goal lead to lose 1-2 against Getafe, and after four defeats in a row they drop further into the relegation zone. The Extremadurians took the lead with eighteen minutes on the clock through Nene, but two minutes later the goalscorer got himself sent off for elbowing an opponent. Zé To still had a chance to put the home side further in front, but after the break the visitors took control and Tena hit the equaliser on the hour mark. Six minutes later Craioveanu picked up the ball in his own half and ran through the defence to round the keeper and score the winning goal, taking his side up into the top half of the table.

Almería were defeated 2-0 by Eibar and are now only one point above the relegation zone. Starting the day only two points behind their rivals they were looking to build on their win last week against Las Palmas. However they were outplayed by the Basque side, who could have scored on a number of occasions before Gari Uranga finally headed them in front following Aitor's corner in the second half. Half time substitute Eneko Romo added a second goal near the end.

An excellent performance by ex Osasuna striker Armentano gave Elche a much needed 3-1 win against Compostela, taking them level on points with their opponents in the middle of the table. The Argentine forward opened the scoring as early as the third minute with a shot across the keeper, and had a hand in the other two goals which came in the last ten minutes of the game, the first from Benja after Armentano's headed pass and the second from the striker himself with a chip over the keeper. In between though the Gallicians could have won it themselves, Sequeiros levelling the scores in the first half and his side going close on a number of occasions.