First Division - Day 38

Sporting Gijón 2 - Villarreal 0

Sporting: Cuéllar; Lora, Luis Hernández, Jorge Meré, Isma López; Carmona (Halilovic 68’), Sergio Alvarez, Rachid, Jony (Alex Barrera 81’); Sanabria, Guerrero (Carlos Castro 63’). 4-4-2.
Villarreal: Barbosa; Mario, Erik Bailly, Bonera (Víctor Ruíz 46’), Rukavina; Trigueros, Jonathan Dos Santos; Nahuel (Denis Suárez 73’), Samuel García, Samu Castillejo; Leo Baptistao (Bakambu 76’). 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
1-0. 08. Jony. Connected with Carmona cross and stabbed shot wide of Barbosa.
2-0. 79. Sergio Alvarez. Fired long shot past keeper after Sanabria laid ball across.

Yellow cards: Víctor Ruíz 48’, Rachid 62’, Mario 88’.

Sporting Gijón won 2-0 against Villarreal in the last match of the season to ensure another year in the top flight, and there were scenes of jubilation in the Molinón stadium when news came in that Getafe had lost at Betis. The visitors had nothing to play for, and coach Marcelino (himself an ex Sporting player and manager) gave a run out to some of his lesser used players. With only eight minutes gone Jony opened the scoring with a snap-shot from Carmona’s cross, and although Leo Baptistao hit the post at the other end a minute later, the locals were on top for the rest of the first half. Isma López, Sanabria and Jony all brought good saves out of Barbosa, and Sanabria, Rachid and Guerrero fired shots wide, and after the interval Sanabria, Castro and Halilovic all went close before Sergio Alvarez latched on to Sanabria’s pass to fire the second in off the crossbar. Abelardo’s side were saved, although they had Betis to thank for that, as well as Villarreal’s lack of ambition in this match.