Levante 1-2 Getafe: Dani Güiza makes the difference in Valencia

0-1 Güiza 31'
0-2 Diego Castro 79'

Lucky Getafe make their chances count against wasteful Levante...
... Third win in the last six propels the Azulones well into the top half ...

Getafe rode their luck but left Valencia with all three points, stretching their current unbeaten run to six games. The Granotas passed up a host of excellent chances in both halves and were twice punished by Getafe's quickfire attacks through the middle, rendering Levante's Champions League challenge increasingly fragile.

The hosts, still hoping for an unlikely Champions League place, started with their tails up - perhaps with something to prove to ex-coach Luis García, who now sits in the Getafe dugout. Pedro Botelho was especially impressive, cutting in from the left to both provide Arouna Koné and try his own luck, but with no end product. Meanwhile the visitors were largely penned back.

Despite their lack of chances, Getafe took the lead in the 31st minute. A superb ball over the top from Javier Casquero found Dani Güiza, who atoned for his poor performance last week with a goal halfway between sublime and ridiculous. His control to bring down the long pass was beautifully reminiscent of Dennis Bergkamp's strike against Argentina at the 1998 World Cup; his shot straight at Gustavo Munúa somewhat less so. But the ball deflected off the Uruguayan 'keeper, hit Güiza in the shins, and rolled goalwards for the opener.

Nonetheless Levante continued to dominate heading into the break and beyond. Ten minutes after the restart Arouna Koné, teed up by Sergio Ballesteros, so nearly scored with an overhead kick from close range, but his effort was fortunately bound for the woodwork.

Yet the day went Getafe's way when eight minutes from time substitute Diego Castro pounced on a loose ball at the edge of the area to score into an empty net. The chance began when once again Levante's high line was punished by a pass over the top for Dani Güiza, who once again prompted the deflection that led to the goal.

Getafe were left nervous in the final minute as Alberto Lopo saw red for a handball in the box, Rubén Suárez dispatching the resulting penalty.

But it was too little too late for the hosts. Getafe, despite holding less of the ball and having fewer chances, left with another priceless victory, cementing their place in the top half ahead of the visit of Real Madrid on Saturday evening - a match they will contest without both Lopo and the injured Rafa, leading to difficulties in the centre of defence.

Levante: Munúa; Javi Venta, Ballesteroes, Del Horno, Juanfran; Xavi Torres (Iborra 82), Farinós; El Zhar (Rafa Jordá 79), Rubén Suárez, Botelho (Óscar Serrano 69); Koné. Getafe: Moyà; Valera, Lopo, Cata Díaz, Masilela; Abdel Barrada, Juan Rodríguez, Casquero (Lacen 70), Gavilán (Diego Castro 59); Dani Güiza (Miguel Torres 84), Miku. Red card: Lopo 90' (handball)

Getafe 1-1 Levante: Coliseum curtain-raiser ends in disappointment

1-0 Miku 62'
1-1 Juanlu 77'

A Getafe side bereft of star signings can't hold their lead as Valencian outfit come from behind...
... Diego Castro was missing through injury and Dani Güiza only came off the bench...

An inauspicious season opener at a quiet Coliseum Alfonso Pérez saw Getafe surrender a one-goal advantage to a Levante side who would have been pleased to leave with a share of the spoils.

Following a dull first half, Getafe took a well-earned lead right after the hour mark through Miku. The Venezuelan played a somewhat fortuitous one-two with Mehdi Lacen before rifling a superb half-volley past Gustavo Munúa from ten yards.

Thirteen minutes from the end, Levante picked up an equaliser in controversial circumstances. Substitute Barkero appeared to handle the ball as he took it past Cata Díaz on the left flank, but there was no denying the quality of the finish from Juanlu, who curled a low shot in off Miguel Moyá's far post.

For Geta it was a day of disappointment, not just with the result but also with an early injury to first-choice left-back Mané, who is now in doubt for the visit to Real Madrid in two weeks' time.

Getafe: Moyá; Miguel Torres, Cata Díaz, Lopo, Mané (Masilela 17); Abdel (Sarabia 59), Lacen; Juan Rodríguez, Casquero (Güiza 84), Pedro Ríos; Miku. Levante: Munúa; Javi Venta, Ballesteros, Nano, Juanfran; Pedro López (El Zhar 70), Xabi Torres (Aranda 75), Rubén Suárez (Juanlu 58), Iborra; Valdo, Barkero.

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.

Jornada 2: Getafe 4-1 Levante

1-0 Gavilán 5'
2-0 Colunga 10'
2-1 Rafa Jordá 13'
3-1 Gavilán 90'
4-3 Arizmendi 90+1'

A convincing win for el Geta in a match that saw the visitors rarely threaten.

Preview - Jornada 2: Getafe-Levante

After last week's disappointing season opener, El Geta have a great chance to get back on track as they meet newly-promoted Levante at home.

The Valencians lost 4-1 at home to Sevilla in their own Liga debut this season, with Getafe losing 3-1 against Espanyol in Barcelona.

Ibrahim Kas and Mario are out of the defence, while Juan Angel Albin and Pedro Rios will sit out in midfield. Pablo Pintos, newly-arrived from Lazio, is also absent. Of these Mario and - bizarrely - Pedro Rios have been left out by the coach despite not being injured.

Levante have never beaten Getafe at home in the Primera.

Oh Dear

Liga form: Poor
Uche: With Nigeria
Cup form: Good
Levante: Done for
Consolation: Scant.

The less said about the last two Liga games, the better, but without Uche, there may be more repeats to come.

Still, Levante - exhausted from their pseudo-heroic loss to Real Madrid at the weekend (sounds familiar, doesn't it?) will hopefully get a good riding tonight to get the spirits up.

Osky will be in goal as Pato is both being rested and hopefully receiving extra coaching of some description after a series of recent errors. Signorino may make a cameo, as might Tena. The midfield's fairly regular-looking, and up front is the usual motley crew. Maybe Kepa can get his confidence back, I don't know.

In any case, expect a four-figure crowd and little worth shouting about. Excelsior!

Squad To Face AaB Aalborg

Here's the squad for tonight's game:

Goalkeepers: 1. Ustari; 13. Pato.

Defenders: 2. Contra; 3. Cata Díaz; 4. Belenguer; 5. Mario; 12. Licht; 19. Signorino; 21. D. Cortés.

Midfielders : 6. Celestini; 7. Mario Cotelo; 10. De la Red; 15. Nacho; 24. Pablo Hernández; 25. Granero.

Attackers: 9. Braulio; 14. Manu; 16. Albín; 17. Kepa.

Sousa and Casquero rested due to knocks, Uche still injured. Coach Laudrup will show up wearing a crown and sceptre - apparently he's still kind of a big deal in Denmark, on account of him being bloody brilliant as a player.

Geta, of course, won 2-1 against Levante at the weekend, Braulio scoring twice to effectively give the finger to his doubters (e.g. me.) Albin also did well, so those two may start again tonight, although as everyone keeps saying, the Liga's the priority.

Either way, that bloody stupid loss to Hapoel last week has made this a game that Geta really cannot afford to lose. A win could also see enough to see us through if Spurs lose to Anderlecht, but it looks like it'll really come down to next week, when the Belgians come to the Coliseum... assuming all goes well tonight, of course.

I don't even know, actually, the UEFA Cup's a bitch to figure out because of the staggered fixtures. The only certainty is that if we lose, the people of Aalborg will surely regard Laudrup as a child would Santa after being told that he isn't real.