Sporting de Gijon 0 : 0 Zaragoza - Wasteful Gijon pay the price

Sporting Gijon were left to rue a host of missed chances as they were held to a goalless draw by fellow Primera Division strugglers Real Zaragoza.

Carmelo had a goal disallowed late on but Sporting only had themselves to blame after spurning a host of decent opportunities in registering their third straight draw.

Real Zaragoza offered little after a promising opening but did at least get a point after suffering back-to-back defeats.

Zaragoza were on top in the opening exchanges but were restricted in the main to long-range strikes.

Leonardo Ponzio, Ander Herrera and Nicolas Bertolo all tried their luck without success in the opening 10 minutes, failing even to test home goalkeeper Ivan Cuellar.

Herrera fired over from the edge of the box after 25 minutes, before Sporting started to come into the game more.

David Barral's close-range strike was parried by Antonio Doblas, who had an easier job holding onto a shot from Diego Castro a minute later.

It was Barral who was looking the real danger, though, with two efforts sandwiching a wayward strike from Zaragoza captain Gabi as the half drew to a close.

The first was wide from the edge of the box, but the second, a left-foot strike from 12 yards, drew a brilliant stop from Doblas.

Sporting continued where they left off after the break and they again came close when Miguel de las Cuevas got on the end of a corner from Jose Angel Valdes, but his shot was cleared by Gabi.

Two minutes later Valdes saw his 20-yard effort turned behind by Doblas.

Just after the hour mark Valdes crossed for Barral, but his close-range header did not trouble Doblas.

Sporting thought they had broken the deadlock in the 78th minute when Carmelo had the ball in the back of the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside.