The first goal in Riazor came four minutes before half-time, when Getafe’s Pedro Leon broke the deadlock with a handsome left-foot drive from just outside the penalty area. Deportivo had Celso Borges sent off on the hour, and Carlos Vigaray took advantage to make it 2-0 to Getafe five minutes from time.
Getafe are still second from bottom but are now six points above bottom team Levante, who will need a win when they visit Malaga today.
Getafe are now level on 35 points with Sporting Gijon and Rayo Vallecano, with Granada on 36 and Deportivo on 39.
Deportivo seemed safe a week ago, but a dismal run of six games without a win has sucked them into the relegation quicksand. On 40 points, and apparently safe, are Espanyol, who edged Sevilla 1-0 earlier yesterday, on a goal from Felipe Caicedo, to move up to 14th.
However, Espanyol coach Constantin Galca was quick to deny that the hard work was over. “We can go home today with a smile on our faces after winning... But we should not yet relax. We have two matches left and must continue to make a strong effort.”
After failing to win away all season, Sevilla are in seventh place and may need to win the Europa League yet again in order to qualify for Europe next season.
They face Shakhtar Donetesk in the Europa League semi-final second leg Thursday after battling out a 2-2 draw in Ukraine last week. They won European football’s second competition in 2006, 2007, 2014 and 2015. “Our away form has simply not been good enough, it has to be said,” Sevilla coach Unai Emery said.
“To go 18 games on the road without a win is just not acceptable at a club as ambitious as Sevilla. I am not pleased with this at all.”
Earlier yesterday, Athletic Bilbao moved up to fifth with a 2-1 comeback defeat of Celta Vigo, who are now sixth.
Fabian Orellana gave Celta an early lead only for Bilbao to turn the result around thanks to goals from veterans Aritz Aduriz - from a disputed penalty - and Raul Garcia. Celta had defender Gustavo Cabral sent off just before half-time.
“We knew it was not going to be easy today and it really wasn’t,” Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde said.
“The sending-off (of Cabral) made a big difference, because we played all of the second half with an extra man ... This is a very important win for us.”
Bilbao are now just three points behind fourth-placed Villarreal, who visit local rivals Valencia later yesterday. The team that finishes fourth is rewarded with a berth in the qualifying round of the Champions League. Celta are a point behind Bilbao. “We really didn’t deserve to lose today,” Celta coach Eduardo Berrizzo said. “The penalty and the sending-off were strange decisions, to say the least. We are very annoyed at this.”
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