MADRID, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Elche became the second club to earn promotion to La Liga from the Spanish second division on the final day of the regular season that turned out to be less dramatic than expected.
The day began with Elche, Oviedo and Mirandes all vying for a chance to join Levante in the Spanish top flight, after the Valencia-based side secured its return to the elite last weekend, three years after being relegated in 2022.
Elche entered as the clear favorite for promotion, needing only a win against Deportivo La Coruna to secure its place. Oviedo and Mirandes, meanwhile, needed victories of their own and for Elche to falter.
However, after Mourad Daoudi opened the scoring for Elche in just the fourth minute, the team - coached by Eder Sarabia - took firm control. John Nwankwo doubled the lead in the 25th minute, and German Valera added a third just seven minutes later, virtually sealing the result.
Elche continued to dominate in the second half, and Pedro Bigas scored in the 89th minute to make it 4-0, sparking celebrations as the club from southeast Spain ended its two-season stint in the second division.
Oviedo and Mirandes both advanced to the semifinals of the playoff for the final promotion spot. Oviedo finished third in the regular season following a 2-1 home win over Cadiz, setting up a two-legged tie against Almeria.
Mirandes secured a 3-1 victory away at Cartagena to finish fourth. The team from the small town of Miranda del Ebro in northern Spain will now face Racing Santander, who claimed fifth place with a 2-1 home win over Granada - a result that ended Granada's playoff hopes. ■
