Real Zaragoza 2 - 2 Racing Santander

Santander snatch a late point

Updated: October 18, 2009, 3:50 AM ET

Racing Santander produced a late fightback at La Romareda to come from two goals down to steal an unlikely point against Zaragoza.

Zaragoza looked to be cruising after they went two up in the first half through Carlos Pavon and Javier Arizmendi.

And that lead still looked in little danger with 10 minutes left on the clock.

But two goals in the space of four minutes, courtesy of Mohamed Tchite and Oscar Serrano, knocked the stuffing out of the home side and spoilt what had looked to be a routine win for the hosts.

And to make matters worse for the home side, Zaragoza had defender Leonardo Ponzio sent off for an elbow deep into added time.

Zaragoza coach Marcelino Garcia Toral coached Racing for a season before moving to the Aragonese outfit in the summer of 2008.

Garcia Toral was a popular figure in Santander and led the Cantabrians to an impressive sixth-placed finish before moving on.

With Zaragoza in the Second Division last season, this was the first time that the coach had come up against his former employers since departing El Sardinero.

And it looked to be going smoothly as Pavon fired the visitors into the lead halfway through the first half.

Jermaine Pennant pumped a cross deep into the far post, Angel Lafita acrobatically sent the ball back into the mix and after Ruben Pulido's flick-on, Pavon was on hand to blast home from close range.

And the home fans almost had another goal to celebrate just four minutes later, when Gabi's volley deflected off a defender and hit the post.

Five minutes later, they did go two up.

Lafita robbed Pablo Pinillos and brilliantly set up Arizmendi, who got ahead of his marker to poke the ball past a helpless Tono.

There appeared no way back for Racing now, especially as Zaragoza continued to dominate.

Tono produced a fine save to deny Jorge Lopez and Lafita drilled an angled shot just wide on the stroke of half-time.

After the interval, Gabi and Arizmendi missed decent chances to wrap up the win for Zaragoza.

And Racing finally began to threaten as the game wore on.

Munitis and Tchite both came close, but the Cantabrians were unable to force their way through until nine minutes from time, when the latter volleyed home from a corner to give Racing hope.

And that hope turned into something much more tangible four minutes later as the visitors levelled.

The goal was all about Serrano.

The midfielder, who scored a cracking consolation in the 4-1 defeat at home to Barcelona earlier this season, picked up the ball a long way out and, spotting Zaragoza keeper Juan Pablo Carrizo off his line, beat the Argentinian with a brilliant dipping effort which looped over the South American and into the back of the net.

Zaragoza then almost snatched it in the dying seconds, but Jorge Lopez volleyed against the crossbar.

There was more drama as Ponzio was then sent off for an ugly elbow on Munitis as frustration got the better of the home side in the last minute.

Following the draw, Zaragoza drop to 12th, while Racing are down in 16th.