Levante 2 : 1 Osasuna - Levante boost survival hopes

Levante came from behind to beat Osasuna 2-1 and boost their chances of Primera Division survival with a vital win at the Ciudad de Valencia.

Goals from Sergio Ballesteros and Felipe Caicedo either side of half-time turned the game around after Walter Pandiani had put the visitors ahead.

Pandiani gave Osasuna the lead four minutes before the break as the Pamplona-based side looked to end their miserable away form, which has seen them fail to win on the road in the league all season.

The Uruguayan's brilliant header from Masoud Shojaei's cross was the fifth goal under new coach Jose Luis Mendilibar, who began his reign last weekend with an impressive 4-0 win at home to Espanyol.

But the visitors' joy was short-lived as Ballesteros levelled just three minutes later, poking home from close range after Osasuna keeper Ricardo Lopez had pushed a Xisco Munoz free-kick onto the post.

And the home side's comeback was complete four minutes into the second half, when goalkeeper Gustavo Munua launched a long goal-kick which caught the Osasuna defence napping and bounced through to Caicedo, who slid the ball past a poorly-positioned Ricardo from an angle to make it 2-1.

Osasuna had their chances after that and substitute Dejan Lekic hit the post in the final minute, but the northerners were unable to change their fortunes on the road and are just one point clear of the drop zone with 13 games remaining.

Levante had looked marginally the better side, though, and also struck the woodwork early on through Juanlu.

The Valencia-based side are now two points better off than Osasuna, in 13th, following their fourth victory in five matches.