Umar Sadiq proved to be U.D Almeria’s hero as the club clinched top spot and promotion back to La Liga after a dramatic final day of the season in the Spanish Segunda Division.
Sadiq scored a crucial second-half equalizer for Almeria against Leganés to force a 2-2 draw, but La Union needed results elsewhere to go their way to gain promotion back to the Spanish first division.
Leganés with nothing to play for, took the lead in the 9th minute but Rodrigo Ely equalized for Almeria six minutes later. Nigerian centre-back Keneth Omeruo scored a header from a corner kick to put Leganés back ahead going into the break.
Shortly after the restart, Sadiq combined with teammate Lucas Robertone and the Nigerian striker found the top corner with his attempt to level matters with more than half an hour to go.
With all three teams at the top of the league table on 81 points, a point would not have been enough for Almeria to earn automatic promotion, with Eibar’s superior head-to-head keeping the Andalusians in third place.
However, bottom-placed Alcorcón scored a late goal to hand Eibar a shock defeat. The 1-0 defeat pushed Eibar to third place, while Almeria climbed to first place due to their superior head-to-head record over Real Valladolid, despite the latter’s 3-0 victory.
Almeria finished on 81 points after the 2-2 draw at Leganés, level on points with second placed Valladolid. Eibar, who started the day in first place, finished third with 80 points and will now compete in promotion play-offs alongside the teams in fourth through sixth place.
Sadiq’s crucial strike was his 18th of Segunda Division season. He also contributed nine assists in 36 matches. Almeria will return to La Liga for the first time since the 2014/15 season.
