Almería advances to LaLiga Hypermotion playoff after 56th-minute penalty. Almería kept their hopes of reaching LaLiga alive thanks to a goal from the penalty spot. The team secured third place and will play in the playoffs. The decisive moment came in the second half of an intense match.
In the final round of LaLiga Hypermotion, Almería came close to failure but managed to snatch a victory and secure third place in the table. The key moment was a successfully converted penalty in the 56th minute: Arribas confidently scored after a foul on Embarba, allowing the hosts to stay out of the relegation zone of the play-offs and guarantee a spot in the race for promotion to La Liga.
The match against Real Valladolid was fiercely contested. Almería, coming off two consecutive defeats, took to the field with maximum focus, knowing that any mistake could cost them the season. Goalkeeper Andrés Fernández saved the team several times, stopping dangerous shots from the visitors. Only after the penalty goal did Almería manage to take control of the match and see it through to victory.
Real Valladolid, with no tournament motivation, still tried to complicate things for the hosts but failed to capitalize on their chances. The refereeing team led by Manuel Ángel Pérez, with VAR support from Valentín Pizarro, strictly enforced the rules, adding tension on the field. Ultimately, it was Arribas's precise strike that decided the final standings.
Now Almería will face Castellón in the play-off semi-final starting on June 6. Alongside these teams, Málaga and Las Palmas are also competing for the last promotion spot to La Liga. As russpain.com notes, the play-off race this season has been especially intense: seven clubs still had a chance for promotion in the final rounds.
For reference: LaLiga Hypermotion is the second most important division in Spanish football. The winners of the playoffs earn the right to compete in La Liga. In the 2025/26 season, the playoff format remains unchanged: four teams compete for one promotion spot to the top division. Despite setbacks towards the end of the championship, Almería managed to regroup at the crucial moment and continues its fight to return to the elite of Spanish football.
