A goal from Nigerian defender Kenneth Omeruo in the addition put Leganés fully in the fight for promotion after winning in Butarque at Almería (2-1), which he deprived of assaulting the LaLiga SmartBank leadership.
A mid-afternoon Wednesday did not seem like the ideal setting for a vital duel at the top of the table, but 'Filomena' wanted it. One of the consequences of this postponement was that the hosts disputed it with a different coach than they had at the time.
Asier Garitano was looking for his fourth victory in four games but those hopes began to be jeopardized when Bustinza left the ball at Sadiq's feet and on the edge of his own area after a disgraceful slip. The striker, who was returning after serving a sanction, settled down before overtaking Cuéllar with an unstoppable hit.
Far from collapsing in the face of adversity, the Leganenses managed to take control of the game. And this brought with it occasions, a low shot from Bastón from inside the area that forced the goalkeeper to intervene and a header from Omeruo taken out under Carvalho's sticks.
The signs that the Blue and Whites wanted to turn things around were evident and were reinforced just after the break, when an excellent cross from Jonathan Silva headed Bastón into the net in a no less virtuous way.
From that moment on, the visitors stretched out again. And they could get ahead with another goal from Sadiq, canceled because the referee understood after consulting the VAR that he had touched on his hand and not on Perea's elbow.
It was the clearest occasion until, in the addition, a ball hung to the area almost finished carom at the feet of Omeruo. He scored the defender to provoke the first league defeat in 2021 for Almería and leave his team in the shadow of the leading trio formed by the Andalusians together with Mallorca and Espanyol.
The victory places Leganés in fourth place, three points behind third, Almería, and second, Espanyol. Five is the leader, Mallorca.
(+) See the summary and the goals of the match:
Data sheet:
Leganés: Cuéllar; Bustinza (Palencia, min.46), Miquel, Omeruo, Jonathan Silva; Rosales (Róber Ibáñez, min.46), Pardo, Eraso, Shibasaki (Perea, min.62); Borja Bastón (Miguel, min.78) and Sabin Merino (Bua, min.63).
Almería: Fernando; Buñuel, De la Hoz, Chumi, Centelles (Akieme, min.57); Petrovic (Ivanildo, min, 57), Morlanes; Corpas (Brian Rodríguez, min.85), Carvalho (Schettine, min.78), Ramazani (Lazo, min.57); Sadiq.
Goals: 0-1, min.8: Sadiq. 1-1, min.47: Staff. 2-1, min. 94: Omeruo.
Referee: Iglesias Villanueva (Galician Committee). He admonished Centelles (min.35), Ramazani (min.41) and Petrovic (min.52).
Incidents: Meeting corresponding to the 21st day of LaLiga SmartBank, postponed in its day as a result of the heavy snow that fell on the Community of Madrid and played at the Butarque stadium behind closed doors.