Granada CF 5 - 1 Levante: Youssef El Arabi bags treble as Granada hammer Levante

Posted Friday, April 22, 2016 by PA

Youssef El Arabi's hat-trick snatched a La Liga lifeline as Granada hammered Levante 5-1 to climb out of the drop zone and consign their relegation rivals to the foot of the table.

Isaac Success, El Arabi and Ruben Rochina all found the net in a first-half blitz that stunned the visitors and all-but sealed victory by the break.

Ruben Garcia hit back for Levante with less than 10 minutes to play, only for El Arabi to convert his second spot-kick three minutes later.

And in the third minute of added time El Arabi struck again, to rub salt into the open wound for the lacklustre and dejected visitors.

Granada climbed out of the bottom three moved them one point ahead of Sporting Gijon with just four games of the season to play.

Getafe's shock 2-1 win at Real Socieded piled the misery on Levante too, forcing the Valencia club to the foot of the table.

El Arabi took his goal tally to 14 for the season on a night that Granada will now hope can act as the catalyst for safety.

Granada wasted precious little time taking their visitors to task, Nigerian hitman Success firing home after being played in by Ruben Perez.

Verza's handball gifted Granada the chance to double their advantage, and El Arabi duly converted the spot-kick to put the hosts in full charge.

And just before the break the home side struck once more, Rochina finding the net this time, with Success to thank for creating the opening.

Granada's cavernous half-time advantage ensured a meandering third quarter, with the hosts confident of their ability to coast to the victory after the break.

That all changed in a frenetic finish however, as first Garcia thought he had handed Levante a glimmer of hope - only for El Arabi to extinquish any such pretensions.

After keeping his cool to slot home his second penalty and restore the three-goal cushion, El Arabi then sealed the stunning victory and his hat-trick by blasting home after Adalberto Penaranda's through ball.