Valladolid and Almería keep up the promotion pressure: Liga Adelante Round-Up and Highlights

By Staff Writer
Updated: 25 May, 2012

EFE

The battle for promotion to Spain’s top flight is as tight as ever with just two games to play in the Segunda División. regular season.

In the search for automatic promotion, Valladolid moved back level with second-placed Celta after a narrow 1-0 victory over Recreativo at the Jose Zorilla. The visitors began the game well and went close in the opening exchanges first through the dangerous Fidel de la Torre, then after a surging run from Jesus Ruben Martin. Miroslav Dukic’s side soon found their way into the game however as Javi Guerra began causing problems for the Recreativo backline. The former Levante man blasted over from close range then had goalkeeper Alejandro scrambling back to scoop the ball away on the goal line as he looked for the breakthrough.

The goal finally came three minutes after the break when Guerra reacted first to a loose ball in the penalty area to fire past a stranded Alejandro. It was no more than the home side deserved, and especially the impressive Guerra. Valladolid maintained the pressure after the goal and went on to create a host of chances before the game finally ended to secure the crucial victory. Valladolid now travel to Alcorcón on Sunday before hosting Guadalajara on the final day of the season.

In Thursday’s other game, Almería kept their hopes of securing a play-off place alive after a comfortable 2-0 victory over Numancia at the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterráneos. The hosts dominated from the opening whistle and Santi Acasiete went close early on when his header forced Edu Navarro into a good save after a Miguel Corona set-piece.

The breakthrough came with the game still less than 10 minutes old as Aciasiete again got on the end of a Corona free-kick, however this time Navarro was given no chance in the Numancia goal.
It was then backs-to-the-wall stuff from the away side but they were finally breached again just before the half-hour mark when Almeria’s top scorer Leonardo Ulload bagged his 27 goal of the season.

The hosts should have added to their advantage in the second half but were denied by some good defending and some woeful finishing. Almería remain one place and three points outside the play-off positions and are relying on the teams above them to slip up in the final two games of this exciting season in Spain’s Segunda División.

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ALMERIA 2- NUMANCIA

VALLADOLID 1-0 SABADELL

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