Santi Cazorla leads Real Oviedo at 40 to play-off final against underdogs

The battle for the final spot in La Liga next season is set. After Levante and Elche secured automatic promotion from Segunda, it will be third-placed Real Oviedo and fourth-placed Mirandes who face each other in the final of the play-offs – clash full of narrative

Real Oviedo outlast Almeria 3-2 on aggregate

After Oviedo secured a 2-1 win in Andalusia last weekend courtesy of a Nacho Vidal brace, the Asturian side knew they only needed a draw to head through in the second leg. Almeria were far better in the first half though, and a Gonzalo Melero penalty levelled things up to send the nerves at the Nuevo Carlos Tartiere into overdrive.

Up step Santi Cazorla, a 40-year-old boy with a dream. Sent on at half-time, the former Arsenal man fired home a free-kick to put Oviedo back in front on aggregate, and one step closer to his dream of returning them to La Liga. Cazorla’s side were defending for the final stages, but Almeria lacked belief despite a header off the post in the final minutes.

As an aside, Almeria coach Rubi was furious, calling the play-offs ‘adulterated’, due to the absence of star striker Luis Suarez, who was on international duty with Colombia after a late call-up.

Mirandes down kings of Cantabria with seven minutes of heaven

Mirandes suffered a late comeback in the first leg against Racing Santander in Cantabria, leaving the aggregate score at 3-3. Yet suspicions that Racing were struggling to live with Alessio Lisci’s ebullient confection of misfits was confirmed in a brilliant second leg.

The hosts went ahead inside just seven minutes in Miranda del Ebro, a town of just 35,000 people with Anduva holding only 6,000 fans, when Urko Izeta opened the scoring. It only took five minutes for Maguette Gueye to level for Racing though. The clash continued at a frantic pace as Mirandes attacked and Racing countered, until the 63rd minute, when Mirandes upped the ante.

Making an incision down the left, goalkeeper Jokin Ezkieta accidentally turned in the cross from the byline. Three minutes later, defender Javi Castro also hit the wrong net trying to keep out a fired shot from Hugo Rincon, and in seven minutes of stunning football, Mirandes settled the tie.

Star forward Joaquin Panichelli provided a brilliant assist – taking the ball on his chest and then hooking the ball behind the defence – for Izeta to run onto and finish. The team that had started preseason cancelling friendlies due to only having eight players reach the final playing the best football.

Play-off final

The first leg of the final will take place on Sunday, with Mirandes hosting Oviedo at 19:00 CEST. The second will be six days later in Oviedo on Saturday at 21:00 CEST. The Asturian side are hoping to return to La Liga after 24 years out of the top division, and coming close to administration, while Mirandes would be making their debut in Spain’s top flight.