A 2-2 comeback that isn’t enough

Eibar’s total domination of their game against Sporting Gijón wasn't enough to secure a victory, with the home team drawing 2-2 and with this result meaning they can no longer achieve automatic promotion.

Eibar were direct in this game and went in search of the opposition’s penalty area from the very first minute. After just 40 seconds, the first shot on target came from Vadillo.

Against the run of play, the visitors made it 1-0 with a controversial penalty, which was given after a move that began with a possible foul on Vadillo, which wasn’t called, and that culminated in a foul from Berrocal inside the area, which he disagreed with. After a lengthy consultation with the VAR, the penalty was confirmed and converted by Djuka.

Los Armeros struggled to get back into the rhythm of the game after the goal, but they had a few clear chances to equalise before the break, especially with a header from Nolaskoain from a corner in the 22nd minute and a left-footed shot from Stoichkov that was saved by Cuéllar in the 44th minute.

At the end of a first half in which the home team had taken the initiative, the 0-1 scoreline did not reflect what had happened on the pitch.

Then, in the 52nd minute, it became 0-2 when Aitor García hit a shot from his own half that caught Luca off guard.

Hope returned in the 68th minute with a penalty converted by Stoichkov after a play in which the referee awarded the penalty after being informed by VAR that the freekick he had given for a foul on Tejero was actually inside the area.

Eibar’s swarming attack after cutting the deficit produced a couple of chances to equalise, first with an Aketxe shot going narrowly wide and then with a Stoichkov shot off target.

Eibar persisted right to the end and equalised in the 90th minute with a header from Blanco Leschuk from a corner, but there was no time for more despite trying until the final whistle.

This draw, combined the rest of the day's results, leaves Eibar without the chance of automatic promotion, so the team will set their sights on the promotion playoffs.