Levante 2-0 Getafe: Efficient Hosts Make Geta Pay The Price

1-0 Valdo 47'
2-0 Caicedo 54'

The word 'crisis' looms large after a humiliating loss to the relegation candidates...
... Few clear chances on goal, Manu sent off in frustration at the death...

Getafe fell to 10th in the table with a defeat at lowly Levante, meaning that 2011's barren winless run will now stretch into the month of February.

The hosts urgently needed a win to help pull clear of the dropzone and duly managed it: in a game that saw Levante enjoy very little possession, they nonetheless poured pressure on Oscar Ustari, resulting in two goals early in the second half.

Stats Levante- Getafe 39% Possession 61% 6 Shots on target 0 3 Corners 3 100 Balls Lost 100 84 Balls Recovered 76 3 Yellow Cards 2 0 Red Cards 1 10 Fouls Committed 11

Getafe's early play, meanwhile, was entirely without imagination. The Azulones tried to press forward with a combination of through balls and wide runs, but couldn't break down the obstinate Levante defence.

The Valencians were able to threaten both on the counter, and more often from set pieces, with first a Caicedo header then a Valdo shot from a respective free-kick and corner almost giving Levante the lead on the half-hour.

Getafe coach Míchel deployed the team in a more attacking formation for the second period, and this was to cost the visitors dearly. Two minutes after the break former Osasuna man Valdo opened the scoring for Levante with a close-range finish after Felipe Caicedo flicked on Juanlu's cross.

On-form Caicedo netted his 7th of the season shortly afterwards, Juanlu again proving the architect with a neat cross between the centre-backs: Oscar Ustari could have done better here, neither coming out nor staying on his line, and thus gifting the powerful forward a routine finish.

Getafe's dreadful start to the year is taking its mental toll on the players, and this showed in dramatic fashion twelve minutes from time as captain Manu del Moral saw red for his part in a minor brawl that apparently stemmed from his refusing to kick the ball away when Asier del Horno was flat-out and allegedly injured. Levante's unused substitute Xisco Nadal was also sent to the dressing room.

Regardless of the merits of these sendings-off, Getafe were a man down, and there was no coming back. The Azulones now urgently need a win at home to Deportivo next Saturday afternoon to arrest a slide that's seen them lose four of their last five matches.

Levante: Munúa; Javi Venta, Ballesteros, Del Horno, Juanfran (Nano 66'); Xavi Torres, Pallardó; Valdo (Wellington 88'), Xisco Muñoz (Iborra 71'), Juanlu; Felipe Caicedo. Getafe: Ustari; Miguel Torres (Colunga 65'), Cata Díaz, Rafa (Marcano 58'), Mané; Mosquera (Gavilán 56'), Boateng; Pedro Ríos, Parejo, Manu; Miku.