European Lower League Week – Dutch playoffs are confusing
France
Monaco took another step towards the title and could be celebrating a return to Ligue 1 as early as this weekend after they crushed relegation threatened Clermont 4-0. They stretched their lead over second placed Nantes after Les Canaries were held to a 1-1 home draw with Nantes after Filipe Djordjevic missed a key second half penalty. Nantes are now seven points behind Monaco and only four points ahead of Caen in fifth.
Guingamp sit in third place after a thumping 6-1 success over third bottom Le Mans, improving their goal difference in the process, and they climb above Angers after they drew 1-1 in the clash with fellow promotion candidates Caen. The visitors took a first half lead through Duhamel but a fantastic strike from Khaled Ayari levelled for the home side. Nimes and Dijon both trail third place by six points with only five games remaining, but both recorded victories with Nimes winning 2-1 at Lens and Dijon scoring in the last minute to beat Laval 1-0.
Gazelec Ajaccio were relegated back to the National league after a 1-0 loss to Tours in the unfamiliar surroundings of Guengnon, where their remaining ‘home’ Ligue 2 fixtures will be played. Sedan grabbed a useful point but are still six points behind Clermont, who sit in a safe position. The Wild Boars need to turn draws into wins very soon if they are to survive. Le Mans occupy the last relegation place two points behind three teams on 35 points (Clermont, Laval and Niort).
Germany
Despite a nervous 1-0 win over lowly Sandhausen, Hertha Berlin have gained promotion back to the Bundesliga at the first attempt. Next up for Hertha will be the title as they lead Eintracht Braunschweig by four points with four games remaining. Hertha have tasted defeat only once in 28 games and after a slow start to the campaign, have brushed the opposition aside with ease.
Nerves seemed to get the better of Eintracht Braunschweig as they were held 1-1 at home to Aue and the lowly visitors should have won the game with star man Jan Hochschiedt missing a second half penalty. Eintracht could claim the second and final automatic spot this weekend with a win at Ingolstadt. The race for the playoff place is a little tighter as Kaiserslautern and Koln were neck and neck before Koln conceded a last minute leveller at Duisburg on Monday, much to the disappointment of their 10000 strong away support. Kaiserslautern have a two point lead but don’t discount FSV Frankfurt just yet, the minnows are just five points behind ‘Lautern and have to visit them in a couple of weeks.
Promoted last season, both Jahn Regensburg and Sandhausen look like heading straight back to 3.Liga. Jahn’s fate will more than likely be sealed this weekend. Realistically, four teams are battling it out to avoid the one relegation playoff place. Dynamo Dresden are in it at the moment with 31 points but they have won two and drawn one of their last three games. Bochum have 32 points and have won both games under new coach Peter Neururer and are looking good for an escape. Aue are a point ahead of Bochum and have also picked up in form as they fight for their 2.BL lives while St Pauli have slipped dramatically recently and sit five points ahead of Dresden, with all of the current top three and in form Duisburg still to play.
Holland
It has been five years since Volendam were last promoted to Eredivisie but following a 3-1 success at lowly Excelsior, they could well be celebrating their title this weekend if they win and Cambuur fail to do the same. Volendam beat Excelsior at a canter and looked every inch title winning material as Michiel Kramer joined strike partner Jack Tuyp in scoring over 20 goals.
Cambuur stay on Volendam’s tail with a 3-1 win at Emmen on Monday after falling behind early in the game. A Hemmen double and a fifth goal in four games for Martijn Barto kept Cambuur in the title race. Helmond Sport and Sparta Rotterdam dropped out of the title race on Friday as they clashed at the Stadion de Braak in an entertaining 1-1 draw. With Sparta already qualified for the playoffs, these two could yet meet again as Helmond will qualify as one of the four highest non-period winner finishers. MVV left it late to record a 2-1 win at Den Bosch with sub Lloyd Borgers grabbing his first goal of the season in injury time. Go Ahead Eagles were left disappointed with a goalless draw at home to bottom of the table Eindhoven, but their mood will have improved when other results meant they will finish as either 3rd or 4th highest non-period winners. Fortuna Sittard didn’t play last weekend but a favourable set of results mean that they need just a point from Friday’s game with Dordrecht to secure the last playoff place.
Eindhoven’s excellent point at Go Ahead Eagles coupled with their fine win over Emmen the week before will give them renewed hope they can climb off the foot of the table. To do that, they must beat local rivals Den Bosch this weekend and hope Excelsior lose their remaining two games (away to City rivals Sparta and at home to Cambuur). Dordrecht kept their feint playoff hopes alive with a 2-1 win over De Graafschap, for whom Anco Jansen returned from suspension and scored. Dordrecht travel to Fortuna next and anything less than a win will end their season. Emmen beat Almere 3-0 before going down at home to Cambuur in front of almost 4000 fans and Telstar beat Oss 2-1 with Rhys Murphy scoring his first goal since early February.
Italy
Another win for Sassuolo puts them on the cusp of Serie A football. They beat Bari 2-1 and remain seven points clear of Livorno in second, who had a comfortable 3-0 win at already relegated Grosseto. Hellas Verona keep the pressure on Livorno and stay one point behind after an entertaining 4-2 victory over rivals Brescia. Hellas trailed 2-1 after just 11 minutes but won the game thanks to a double from leading scorer Danielle Cacia and the loss drops Brescia out of the playoff zone. Empoli stay in fourth place despite a surprise 3-0 defeat at Spezia. The visitors arrived on the back of a 5-0 win over Juve Stabia and just one defeat in 14 games but looked a shadow of the side that has climbed into promotion contention recently. After seven successive victories that has propelled Novara from relegation worries to a playoff place, they were finally been beaten by a Gozzi goal which gave Modena a 1-0 win but Novara stay in fifth and Modena keep their playoff hopes alive. Varese are back in the playoff places after ending a run of three games without a win with a 1-0 success at Ternana.
With Grosseto already down, Pro Vercelli could well join them this weekend. They are nine points from the relegation playoffs after losing to the side one place above them, Vicenza. The 3-1 win gives Vicenza hope as they are just two points from leaving the automatic relegation zone and six points from safety, however they visit second place Livorno this weekend. Ascoli and Reggina remain in the playoff places. Ascoli, who lost for the fourth game in a row, are four points from safety and Reggina are two points behind Virtus Lanciano and Bari.
Spain
Elche’s inconsistencies surfaced again last weekend as they were beaten by fellow promotion chasers Alcorcon thanks to a second header from Babin. Elche are nine points clear of Alcorcon in third place with seven games remaining and although they have thrown away promotion in the last couple of years with midseason collapses, they should have more than enough left in the tank to cross the line. Girona hold on to second place on 63 points after a comfortable 4-0 win over Lugo in front of another bumper crowd at the Montilivi and have now won six of their last seven. Next up for Girona, a mouthwatering clash at table toppers Elche. Alcorcon’s win over the leaders keeps them a point ahead of Villarreal, who stretched their unbeaten run to 13 with a 1-0 win over Racing Santander. Almeria slip four points behind Girona after a 1-1 home draw with Numancia meaning they have only won two of their last seven games and are only four points from being outside the playoffs. Las Palmas recorded their 3rd successive away win following a 2-1 victory over rock bottom Xerez, who took their winless run to a massive 23 games.
Ponferradina stay in seventh place after beating an in form Sporting Gijon side and they stay three points behind Las Palmas. A gap has formed below them as their closest challengers are Barcelona B (who cannot qualify for the playoffs), who are four points behind and Sporting Gijon, who are now six points behind Ponferradina.
Xerez lost again and are certain to be relegated but who goes with them? Huesca lost 1-0 at Guadalajara and have 35 points, the same as Racing Santander who were beaten at Villarreal. Murcia slip into the drop zone after a 1-1 draw at Barcelona B and are one point behind Hercules, who beat Cordoba 1-0 and are now seven unbeaten and two points behind Mirandes, who were hammered 6-1 at Real Madrid Castilla.