Almeria 2 - 2 Celta Vigo: Comeback earns point for Almeria
Posted Tuesday, May 05, 2015 by PA
Almeria came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Celta Vigo and earn a potentially crucial point in the fight against relegation.
Goals from Nolito and Santi Mina had the visitors, chasing Europa League football, up 2-0 at the break.
But Thievy Bifouma replied two minutes into the second half and, after Celta's Gustavo Cabral was sent off in the 52nd minute, Jonathan Zonga equalised with a little over 20 minutes left.
Seven minutes later, Almeria were also reduced to 10 men as Mauro Dos Santos earned a second yellow card, and the teams played out the remainder of the game for a point each.
That sees Almeria edge two points clear of the drop zone, while Celta remain two adrift of Athletic Bilbao in seventh place and the final European berth.
Almeria dominated the opening exchanges but failed to find the target with three attempts as Thomas Partey, Zonga and Bifouma all had their radars misaligned.
It was against the run of play that the visitors took the lead in the 17th minute, with Nolito firing home an angled shot from the left-hand side of the box.
Zonga tried to respond immediately for Almeria, but was again off target.
Having grabbed the lead, Celta began to settle and both Fabiean Orellana and Nolito had decent sights of goal.
But it was not until the 39th minute that they were able to extend their lead, with Mina finding the bottom right corner of the net with a low shot.
Almeria regrouped during the interval and swiftly got themselves back into the contest when Bifouma scored from close range in the 47th minute.
They kept pushing for an equaliser, with Sebastian Dubarbier and Bifouma both seeing shots blocked.
The pressure continued, and paid off in the 68th minute when Zonga turned in Tomer Hemed's cross.
Celta had barely been seen as an attacking force in the second half but with 12 minutes left, Orellana's shot brought a save out of Ruben.
Augusto Fernandez then had a late sight of a winner for the visitors, but saw his shot saved.
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