UD Almería close first half just 2 points off automatic promotion
None of the top sides won on Matchday 21 as the Rojiblancos stay firmly in the race at the halfway mark
UD Almería have reached the midway point of the LaLiga Hypermotion season sitting in 3rd place, only 2 points behind pacesetters Racing Santander and runners-up UD Las Palmas, both currently occupying the automatic promotion spots.
The Rojiblancos arrive at the halfway stage with their promotion ambitions very much alive, despite an uneven run across the opening 21 Matchdays. Their campaign has been marked by inconsistency, but the table remains extremely compressed at the top.
On Saturday, UD Almería were held to a draw away at bottom-side CD Mirandés at the Anduva stadium. While the Indálicos missed a prime chance to close the gap on the top-2, the late-earned point offered some consolation, especially as none of the top-6 teams managed to secure a win over the weekend.
Only Cádiz CF, who began the round in 7th place, collected 3 points. UD Las Palmas and Deportivo La Coruña played out a draw at the Gran Canaria stadium, while current league leaders Racing Santander surprisingly lost at home to relegation-threatened Real Zaragoza. Elsewhere, promotion contenders CD Castellón were held by Granada CF, another side pushing towards the top flight.
As the first half of the season concludes, the league is finely poised and the second half promises fireworks. On Friday, fourth-placed CD Castellón (35 points) host CD Leganés. Saturday sees 3rd-placed UD Almería (36 points) welcome 5th-placed Deportivo La Coruña (34 points), while Sunday delivers a heavyweight clash at El Sardinero as table-toppers Racing Santander (38 points) take on runners-up UD Las Palmas (38 points). Meanwhile, Cádiz CF (34 points), currently occupying the final play-off spot, travel to face Albacete BP.
The battle near the summit is fierce, with Málaga CF, Burgos CF, Córdoba CF and AD Ceuta FC all lurking just behind on 32 points, keeping the promotion race wide open.
UD Almería’s first half has been, by their own standards, highly inconsistent. Injury problems have plagued the squad and must be factored in, but with margins so fine, there is little room for further slip-ups. Goal difference could prove decisive in such a congested table.
After appearing to find balance and stability before the postponed fixture in Ceuta, the Indálicos have conceded 2 goals in each of their last 4 matches. They have now shipped 30 goals in the league, although their attacking output remains impressive: with 40 goals scored, they boast the second-best attack in the division.
Half of those goals have come from the influential duo of Adrián Embarba (9) and Sergio Arribas (11), with the latter finishing the first half of the campaign as LaLiga Hypermotion’s top scorer.