Post by Bismarck on Feb 4, 2008 14:37:10 GMT
VALENCIA, February 3 (Primera Liga) - Racing Santander kept their UEFA Cup hopes alive after coming from behind to deny lowly Levante a second straight win on Sunday.
Aldo Duscher's penalty cancelled out Mustapha Riga's second-half opener to dampen the hosts' hopes of pulling off a miracle escape from relegation.
The division's bottom side went into the game on the back of a 3-2 over Real Murcia, courtesy of an injury-time winner, and their fighting spirit was again on show as they sought to narrow the gap at the foot of the Primera Liga table.
And despite being denied a win to remain 10 points from safety, a third game unbeaten shows Levante are not dead and buried just yet.
The draw leaves Racing, on the other hand, in the final European place, two points clear of seventh-placed Sevilla.
And it was the visitors, still in with a shout of Champions League qualification, who started the stronger as they looked to build on Mohamed Tchite's last-gasp equaliser in their last outing against European rivals Real Zaragoza.
Gonzalo Colsa curled a free-kick over the bar after Maior de Aquino Alvaro had chopped down Ebi Smolarek before trying his luck again from close range only to see his effort charged down by Mathieu Berson.
Levante though carved out the first clear opening and Riga should have done better when he dragged his effort wide of the left post from just six yards.
Racing threatened again from distance as Tchite sent a curler straight into the arms of Levante keeper Vladan Kujovic and Smolarek bent a free-kick over the bar.
But for all their first-half control, Marcelino Garcma Toral's men could not breach a backline that had shipped 39 goals in 21 games - the worst in the division.
Indeed, it was Levante who again came closest to breaking the deadlock two minutes before the break as Aquino Alvaro met Laurent Courtois' corner with a powerful header which flew narrowly wide.
And it was the French midfielder's pin-point delivery that proved Racing's undoing 12 minutes after the restart.
His inswinging corner caused havoc inside the area and Riga made up for his earlier miss by slamming the loose ball into the roof of the net from six yards.
Levante then took a leaf out of Racing's book by bombarding Fabio Coltorti's goal with long-range efforts, Aquino Alvaro drilling a 30-yard free-kick over the bar and Pedro Leon Sanchez curling another deadball into the stopper's hands after he was brought down by Lozano Farran Oriol.
But with a quarter-of-an-hour left to play, Levante shot themselves in the foot as David Castedo fouled Duscher in the area and the Argentinian himself got up to fire the penalty high into the net and push Levante a step closer to second-division football.
Aldo Duscher's penalty cancelled out Mustapha Riga's second-half opener to dampen the hosts' hopes of pulling off a miracle escape from relegation.
The division's bottom side went into the game on the back of a 3-2 over Real Murcia, courtesy of an injury-time winner, and their fighting spirit was again on show as they sought to narrow the gap at the foot of the Primera Liga table.
And despite being denied a win to remain 10 points from safety, a third game unbeaten shows Levante are not dead and buried just yet.
The draw leaves Racing, on the other hand, in the final European place, two points clear of seventh-placed Sevilla.
And it was the visitors, still in with a shout of Champions League qualification, who started the stronger as they looked to build on Mohamed Tchite's last-gasp equaliser in their last outing against European rivals Real Zaragoza.
Gonzalo Colsa curled a free-kick over the bar after Maior de Aquino Alvaro had chopped down Ebi Smolarek before trying his luck again from close range only to see his effort charged down by Mathieu Berson.
Levante though carved out the first clear opening and Riga should have done better when he dragged his effort wide of the left post from just six yards.
Racing threatened again from distance as Tchite sent a curler straight into the arms of Levante keeper Vladan Kujovic and Smolarek bent a free-kick over the bar.
But for all their first-half control, Marcelino Garcma Toral's men could not breach a backline that had shipped 39 goals in 21 games - the worst in the division.
Indeed, it was Levante who again came closest to breaking the deadlock two minutes before the break as Aquino Alvaro met Laurent Courtois' corner with a powerful header which flew narrowly wide.
And it was the French midfielder's pin-point delivery that proved Racing's undoing 12 minutes after the restart.
His inswinging corner caused havoc inside the area and Riga made up for his earlier miss by slamming the loose ball into the roof of the net from six yards.
Levante then took a leaf out of Racing's book by bombarding Fabio Coltorti's goal with long-range efforts, Aquino Alvaro drilling a 30-yard free-kick over the bar and Pedro Leon Sanchez curling another deadball into the stopper's hands after he was brought down by Lozano Farran Oriol.
But with a quarter-of-an-hour left to play, Levante shot themselves in the foot as David Castedo fouled Duscher in the area and the Argentinian himself got up to fire the penalty high into the net and push Levante a step closer to second-division football.