Celta Vigo 1 - 1 Gimnastic de Tarragona

Celta Vigo 1-1 Gimnastic de Tarragona

Updated: February 4, 2007, 6:24 PM UK

VIGO, February 4 (Primera Liga) - Bottom club Gimnastic Tarragona failed to show the sparkle that earned them a shock 4-0 win against Espanyol last weekend, but they displayed all the grit they will need if they are to avoid relegation in snatching a draw at the home of fellow strugglers Celta Vigo.

Borja Oubina got a belated reward for Celta's first-half dominance when he put his side in front not long after the interval.

However, Gimnastic battled back to get an equaliser through Javier Portillo and a share of the spoils against a team that has nine more points in the bank.

Celta created the first real chance of the match after six minutes when Angel Lopez played in a cross towards Anderson Nene whose cross forced a fine save from Albano Bizzarri.

Gimnastic threatened for the first time six minutes later when Alejandro Campano took an in-swinging corner which was headed by Cesar Navas Gonzalez over the bar.

The hosts were having the better of the early exchanges, however, and went close again after 21 minutes when Nene's shot from the edge of the box forced a fine save from Bizzarri.

Bizzarri was being made to work hard and he was in action again three minutes later when he fielded a shot from Fabian Canobbio.

Lopez then created another chance for Celta but Bizzarri rose to the occasion again to catch a header from Fernando Baiano.

Canobbio missed to the left with a shot from the edge of the box as Celta looked to make their first-half dominance pay.

Again the goalkeeper's services were required to keep out a shot, this time from Borja Oubina, after good approach play by Nene and five minutes before the interval it was Nene who fired wide.

The teams went in at the break all square with Celta unrewarded for their first-half dominance.

However, whatever coach Fernando Vazquez said at half-time clearly did the trick as Celta scored within three minutes of the restart.

Gustavo Lopez played in a cross from the right and Oubina was there to find the top left corner with his head to the relief of the Celta supporters.

The visitors from Tarragona seemed to awaken from their slumber and soon came close to equalising.

Antoni Pinilla forced a fine save from Jose Pinto but the visitors were generally finding it hard to make much headway against their opponents.

It came as something of a surprise, then, when Gimnastic got back on terms with 14 minutes of the match remaining.

Pinilla was the creator with a dangerous cross from the left and Portillo was there to plant a header into the top right corner from close range.

Celta were dismayed and immediately sought to re-establish their lead with Baiano forcing another save from Bizzarri at the expense of a corner.

Neither side could find the winner and while Gimnastic's plight is worse than Celta's, the remainder of the season looks like it will test the nerves of both clubs.