Deportivo La Coruna gatecrashed the top six of the Primera Liga after claiming a late 2-1 victory over Getafe at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez.
Sergio’s 80th-minute penalty decided the game for in-form Depor, who climb above Villarreal and are now level on 30 points with fifth-placed Atletico Madrid after recording their fifth win in their last six outings.
Miguel Angel Lotina’s side will be especially pleased with the victory as they now face a daunting run of fixtures that pits them against Sevilla, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Villarreal in their next four matches.
Both Depor and hosts Getafe looked eager to get forward at every opportunity and that made for an exciting game, most notably in the opening half-hour which producing two goals, eight corners and plenty of goalmouth incident.
Depor striker Rodolfo Bodipo was a livewire at the outset and he had already seen one goal-bound header deflected for a corner before opening the scoring in the sixth minute.
Sergio’s corner from the right found its way through to Bodipo unmarked in the middle and he left Getafe goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri with no chance as he smashed home a first-time effort into the corner of the net.
Both sides then had chances to add to the scoreline in quick succession, with respective goalkeepers Daniel Aranzubia and Abbondanzieri doing superbly to deny Javi Casquero and Angel Lafita.
Abbondanzieri’s one-handed save to keep out Lafita’s close-range effort in the 14th minute was particularly crucial, as two minutes later Manu del Moral brought Getafe level with an unstoppable effort.
Lucas Licht floated a hopeful pass to the edge of the area, where Manu showed great skill to chest the ball down before swivelling to send a left-footed volley into the far bottom corner of the net.
The match continued to entertain and Depor almost re-took the lead in the 28th minute when Joan Verdu saw his shot blocked on the line.
There was a lull in the action towards the end of the first period as the rival defences finally got some respite, but it was all hands to the pump again at the start of the second – for the Getafe backline at least.
Juan Rodriguez missed a great chance to put Depor back in front when he somehow contrived to head Sergio’s free-kick wide at the near post, before Bodipo then saw his attempted lob drift narrowly past the far post.
Depor, knowing a win would see them move climb into sixth place, were making most of the running, although Getafe full-backs Licht and Cosmin Contra both tried their luck as the home side tried to turn the tide.
It was Depor who would get the crucial breakthrough though after they were awarded a penalty with 10 minutes to go.
Juan Carlos Valeron’s through-ball looked to have been too heavy for Bodipo, but Abbondanzieri was already committed to making a challenge and he ended up sending the Depor man crashing to the ground.
The Getafe goalkeeper protested the decision but he all he got in return was a yellow card – the 11th and final booking of the match – before then being sent the wrong way from the resulting penalty as Sergio coolly slotted in the winning goal.
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