Two games. 180 or 210 minutes. That, plus the corresponding extensions, is what separates Córdoba from professional football. Because the green and white team has just left Ponferradina behind, whom they won 2-1. The 0-1 score at El Toralín gave Ania’s team a big advantage, but at no point did they give the impression that they had it done. “We have to go out as if we were 0-0,” the coach said in the preview. And his people interpreted it that way. As it is. Because from the beginning the one that seemed to have the adverse score was Córdoba. And, seeing how difficult Barça Atlètic and Málaga got in the first half last night, they did not want to make the mistake of suffering unnecessarily.
Casas unleashes madness… but he had to suffer
Very soon Córdoba was going to make it clear that the game had to be on its way. In just six minutes Antonio Casas made it 1-0 and The Archangel exploded. The fans entered a state of excitement as they have rarely been remembered in recent years. Because the official target fell in the early stages, but that first goal had been scored by Cordoba fans with a reception unlike anything remembered in many years and practically filling the stadium when there were still forty-five minutes left before the match began. The fact is that with that breeding ground, there was little to fear from a Ponferradina that did what it could with long shipments and with the little pause and quality that Yeray gave it. Without a doubt, the most striking thing about a team that has not grown at all with Juanfran’s very poor management.
Córdoba was the one that had the best opportunities on the counterattack. He even celebrated the 2-0, but Kuki was in an offside position. There was peace because Ponfe had to score two goals, but the feeling was that Iván Ania’s team did not have the match completely in their hands. The ball didn’t last long and that, for a team designed for this, makes it suffer and cover more kilometers than necessary. But even in that he knew how to compete.
After the restart, the duel followed the same script but, on this occasion, a good play by Yeray on the left ended in a very bad clearance by Adilson that Borja Valle ended up hitting the net after Igbekeme shot. That’s where the nerves came in. But again The Archangel came to the rescue in a dazzling way. Carrying his loved ones. Ania helped too. Because she moved the bench and efficiently. The entry of Toril and Kike Márquez, first and Simo, later, gave him a lot of air and ball. Above all ball. From then on, all suffering was due to the small score.
Anything could happen, but Córdoba managed well in the direct football that Ponferradina proposed and came out with a lot of danger on the counterattack. Until, in one of those, Simo was subject to a penalty. Kike Márquez took responsibility and made it 2-1. The Archangel exploded. There were 7 left to add that could perfectly have been left over. Because Leiva, in an unforgivable sin of youth, saw red for an absurd dispute with Yuri, who was also expelled from it. Therefore, the man from Algeciras will not be in the long-awaited final for promotion to Second.
Barça Atlètic, last rival of the season
And so we reach the final stretch. A few meters separate Córdoba from professional football. Although those meters are neither downhill nor on flat terrain. The road steepens quite steeply. The last rival to beat will be Barça Atlètic, possibly the best reserve team in the world. Those of Rafa Marquez They have already warned in this play off. They beat Ibiza 1-2 in Can Misses and destroyed them in the second leg with four goals in just 10 minutes to end up winning 5-3. Nobody said that going up to Second was going to be easy.
