Real Zaragoza moved up to 12th place in La Liga after edging out a lacklustre Almeria outfit on Sunday evening.

Marcelino Garcia Toral's side went ahead through Angel Lafita just short of the half-hour mark and Ruben Pulido put the hosts two up after 35 minutes.

And although Juanma Ortiz quickly pulled a goal back for Almeria, the Andalusians were unable to make further inroads against a Zaragoza side that held on comfortably for their third win of the season.

Zaragoza threw away a two-goal lead in their last home match, which they eventually drew 2-2 against Racing Santander, and went down 6-1 to Barcelona at the Nou Camp last weekend.

But they started this match well and caused problems for the visitors early on and Almeria keeper Diego Alves in particular.

The Brazilian produced a brilliant save to deny Pulido after a quarter of an hour and did well to keep out a header from Roberto Ayala moments later.

Ayala then saw another header repelled by Alves as Zaragoza pushed for a breakthrough.

And it finally came after 29 minutes.

Lafita was initially blocked as he shaped to shoot past Alves, but Almeria failed to clear properly and the former Deportivo La Coruna midfielder made no mistake from close-range when the ball finally bounced back into his path.

Almeria's defending was slack once more as Zaragoza went two up after 35 minutes.

Ayala touched the ball on from a corner and Pulido popped up to slam the ball home as Almeria hesitated.

Ortiz then pulled a goal back for the Andalusians three minutes later.

The visitors surged forward on the break and the midfielder coolly beat Zaragoza keeper Javier Lopez Vallejo in a one-on-one situation.

There was a hint of offside as Albert Crusat set up Ortiz, but the flag stayed down and Almeria were back in it.

Hugo Sanchez's side could have equalised five minutes after the break, but Crusat dragged his effort harmlessly wide with only Lopez Vallejo to beat.

Almeria lost 3-0 at home to Valencia last weekend and went down 2-1 at Second Division Hercules in the Copa del Rey during the week.

And with striker Henok Goitom still missing through injury, the visitors looked to be lacking a cutting edge again up front.

They were also failing to create opportunities of note against a superior Zaragoza outfit.

The home side almost extended their lead just after the hour, but Abel Aguilar saw his rasping drive brilliantly kept out by Alves.

The Brazilian was having an inspired evening, but Almeria also needed inspiration at the other end of the pitch.

And it was not forthcoming in the final half an hour as Zaragoza continued to look the better side.

Aguilar fired over with 12 minutes left and was guilty - along with Ewerthon - of a poor miss with just over six minutes left on the clock.

It mattered little in the end, though, as the home side held on for a deserved win.

Almeria drop to 15th spot and now sit just two points clear of the drop zone.