Getafe 2 : 0 Almeria - Getafe boost survival hopes

Posted Saturday, May 07, 2011 by PA

Getafe boosted their hopes of avoiding the drop whilst consigning bottom club Almeria to relegation with a vital 2-0 win the Coliseum Alfonso Perez today.

Getafe, who finished sixth last season, fell into the bottom three for the first time this campaign after losing 2-1 at Villarreal last weekend but they climbed back out thanks to goals in either half from Adrian Colunga and Pedro Rios.

The victory, which was only Getafe's third in 19 league matches in 2011, provisionally lifts Michel's men up to 14th place on 40 points.

In contrast, Almeria, who came into the game 12 points adrift of safety with only four games to go and needing little short of a miracle to avoid going down, bid farewell to the top flight following this loss.

Getafe could hardly have wished for a better start from this must-win fixture as Colunga put them ahead with just four minutes on the clock, the striker slotting in at the far post being set up by Rios.

The home side then twice came close to doubling their lead, once through Ivan Marcano prior to the break when his header was superbly saved by Esteban Suarez, and then again through Miku in the 48th minute, his shot being blocked on the line.

Getafe did manage to find a second soon after that though as Rios netted from close-range to double his side's lead.

Miku missed a great chance to make it 3-0 when he was faced with just Esteban to beat, and that could have proved a costly waste if Almeria substitute Leonardo Ulloa's 84th-minute shot had gone in instead of hitting the post.

But the ball stayed out, Almeria's lifeline had disappeared, and so had any faint hopes of playing Primera Division football next season.