Spanish La Liga

Getafe 4-2 Almeria

Getafe came from two goals down to all but secure their Primera Liga status with a 4-2 win over Almeria.

Manu del Moral was the central figure with a quickfire double just past the hour mark, sandwiched between strikes from Juan Albin and Esteban Granero, the latter from the penalty spot.

Albert Crusat and Veljko Paunovic had given Almeria a two-goal cushion within 11 minutes of kick-off.

The win takes Getafe five points clear of the drop zone with two games remaining and, with five teams separating them from danger, they will surely be playing in La Liga next term.

Almeria, meanwhile, drop to 10th and are out of the running for a place in the UEFA Cup.

Despite a cheeky effort from Granero after just seven seconds which went over the bar, it was Almeria who stamped their authority on proceedings with a brace of early goals.

After five minutes, Ireney Santos played in Crusat, who powered the ball past Roberto Abbondanzieri from close range.

Getafe went for an immediate response, Ruben de la Red firing wide from 20 yards, but they soon found themselves two goals down.

Another close-range strike did the trick, this time from Paunovic, and Getafe looked to be heading for a serious relegation scrap in their final two games.

Michael Laudrup's men took the game by the scruff of the neck, though, and hauled themselves back into it.

De la Red drew a save from David Cobeno after 23 minutes when he headed Granero's outswinging corner goalwards and the Almeria stopper was on hand five minutes later to hold Albin's free-kick.

He could do nothing, though, to stop Albin's low effort from inside the box as Getafe pulled one back after 33 minutes.

In the last minute of the first half, Jaime Gavilan's corner found Granero, but the on-loan Real Madrid man headed over from 12 yards.

Granero was a threatening presence, though, and he underlined his potential to damage Almeria with a drive which stung the hands of Cobeno seven minutes after the break.

Cobeno was kept busy by Getafe - De la Red was next to test him after 56 minutes.

Getafe finally pulled level after 62 minutes, with Del Moral's low strike from outside the box beating Cobeno.

Three minutes later Granero's cross was met with a weak header from Daniel Diaz which went limply wide, but Getafe did not have to wait long to take the lead.

Again it was Del Moral, who accepted a pass from Braulio Nobrega and planted a right-foot effort into the back of the net.

And Getafe completed the scoring when Granero grabbed the goal he deserved from the penalty spot.

Domingo Cisma was adjudged to have handled after 74 minutes and Granero duly dispatched the spot-kick.