Almería breathes in its fight for salvation by beating Elche 2-1, which with this defeat sees its mathematical relegation to the Second Division consummated with five games to go to finish LaLiga Santander. [Check the results of LaLiga].
Thanks to the goals of the Brazilian Leo Baptistao, at minute 22, and Adri Embarba, at minute 52, the Almeria team has 35 points, 4 behind the relegation zone which, with one game less, is occupied by Espanyol and Getafe, while Elche, who did not give up and closed the gap in minute 90 with a header from the Argentine Ezequiel Ponce, says goodbye to Primera after having spent almost the entire course, that of their Centenary, in the bottom of the table and having achieved only three wins.
Almería took the lead in the first half without too many chances. In the 22nd minute, Rubi's men found a hole in the Elche defense with a header from Rodrigo Ely, which Leo Baptistao would pick up to beat Axel Werner from below.
In the second half, Almería extended the lead in the 52nd minute with a great play by Embarba, who would end up crossing the ball before the Argentine goalkeeper. Just before the end, Elche would put fear into their bodies with a goal from Ezequiel Ponce in the 90th minute.
Elche began to play a very direct game. First, through a bad start by Rodrygo Ely, who left a free ball but Fidel Chaves did not direct the pass of death well. Later Lucas Boyé would try with a left foot that would brush the post of the goal defended by Fernando Martínez.
From then on, Almería tried to control the ball. Melero filtered a great pass to Embarba that he did not take advantage of for giving a couple of too many touches, the defender from Elche reaching the cut. The Almeria requested a penalty, but the VAR did not send the referee to review it. Later came a great pass from Babic to the back of the defense that Robertone did not finish well.
Precisely in the subsequent corner, the first goal would arrive. In the 22nd minute, after a poorly cleared corner kick, Rodrygo Ely would end up giving it up with a header to Leo Baptistao, who only had to beat the Argentine Axel Werner.
After the blow, the Elche team tried to recover with long possessions to end up penetrating on the wing. Almería, for its part, sought space with the speed of Colombian Luis Suárez.
A scare would come for the locals before the break in a play apparently without danger in which Centelles fell asleep and the Elche tied the game, but the play would end up annulled after the ball went out in front of the end line.
After the break, Almería would protest a direct red card after Luis Suárez fell, but the VAR did not see contact, it was not enough.
The second goal would also come after the rejection of a corner. In the 51st minute, Embarba picked up the ball up front, dribbled and crossed it low to the right post to beat Álex Werner from below.
Moments of local dominance would arrive. Suárez left Baptistao a dead ball, but he sent it off incomprehensibly. In minute 56, Luis Suárez was selfish and did not give up the ball before Centelles finished shooting wide. Immediately afterwards, a shot by Gonzalo Melero from outside in a real gale from the locals.
Elche was able to stretch and began to approach Fernando's goal without much danger. Almería would take advantage of that static game to lower the block and look for spaces on the counter. This is how Embarba would find a shot to the squad in the 73rd minute with an Almería overturned looking for the third.
The people from Elche would end up instilling fear in the body of the people from Almeria with a goal in the 90th minute by the Argentine Ezequiel Ponce after a defensive mistake by Ramazani, but the visitor's reaction did not go beyond that and consummated relegation.
2 - Almeria: Fernando Martinez; Alexander Well (Ramazani Breadth, m.75), Rodrigo Ely, Srdjan Babic, Alex Centelles; Caesar De la Sickle, Lucas Robertone (Inigo Eguaras, m.83), Gonzalo Melero (Samu Coast, m.83); Leo Baptistao (Juan Brandariz Movilla 'Chumi', m.75), Adrian Embarba (Francisco Portillo, m.75) and Luis Suarez.
1 - Elche: Axel Werner; White Lautaro, Charles Clerc, Lysander Magellan, Josan Fernandez 'Josan'; Gerard Gumbau, John Donald (Alex Collado, m.46), Fidel Chaves (Royal Guti, m.67); Tete Morente, Pere Milla (67) and Lucas Boyye (67).
Goals: 1-0, M.22: Leo Baptistao. 2-0, M.52: Embarba. 2-1, M.90: Ezequiel Ponce.
Referee: Alexander Jose Hernandez Hernandez (Las Palmas Committee). He warned Rodrigo Ely (m.59) and César De la Hoz (m.77) and visitors John Donald (m.20) and Carlos Clerc (m.50) for the Almería.
Incidents: Match of the thirty-third day of LaLiga Santander played at the Power Horse Stadium before 13,352 spectators.
