Eibar slip to 2-1 defeat at Levante
Levante's second of the night, which came straight after Eibar had levelled, left the Armeros resigned to defeat
Eibar succumbed to a 2-1 reverse in their trip to the Ciutat de Valencia in Matchday 29 of the LaLiga campaign. The Armeros failed to get to grips with a Levante side that came into the match with a clear game plan and delivered a really assured display. José Luis Mendilibar's men managed to level terms after Les Granotes had earlier taken the lead, but barely 30 seconds after restoring parity, a mistake in the Eibar backline saw the hosts score what proved to be the winning goal.
In the opening few minutes, Kike García had a gilt-edged opportunity to have put the visitors ahead, but he contrived to send his snapshot narrowly over the bar. Eibar couldn't have made a much better start to proceedings. The team came out all guns blazing and just a few minutes later, Joan Jordán came close after a fine piece of individual play, but he failed to direct his effort on target.
Levante, meanwhile, didn't cave in to the pressure and began to make inroads into the Armeros' box. The hosts' first chance went the way of Giampaolo Pazzini, who forced Marko Dmitrović into a fine reflex save. However, the Valencia-based outfit got their noses in front with their next chance in the 25th minute. Roger met José Luis Morales's inch-perfect cross from the right to turn the ball home. Before the break, Oier Olazábal was called into action when he denied Jordan, who was picked out at the far post by a cross from the right.
The Catalan midfielder was once again in the thick of the action at the start of the second period. In the 55th minute, he saw his effort from a Pedro Leon's centre come crashing back off the crossbar. Before that, Kike García had fired in a warning shot with a headed effort from inside the area. The Armeros were now pouring forward in their attempts to turn the scoreline around.
In the 63rd minute and with all three substitutions made, Eibar hauled themselves level from a deadball situation. León sent in a corner to the near post, where Jordán flicked the ball on to Charles, who applied the finish at the far post. The game had now swung in Eibar's favour.
Unfortunately for the visitors, Levante restored their lead in the very next move. Les Granotes restarted play by launching a long ball towards Emmanuel Boateng, who skipped around Dmitrović and slipped the ball into the empty net.
This was a real setback for Eibar, who despite continuing to plug away until the final whistle, were unable to produce a reaction following Levante's second goal.