The Unión Deportiva Logroñés has managed to tie in Las Gaunas to one goal with Castellón thanks to a goal by Roni in the last minute, when the team from the Riojan capital seemed doomed to defeat.
The final draw did justice to the struggle between the control and quality of Castellón, on the one hand, and the ambition and faith of Logroñés, on the other, in a match that was the repetition of the final due to the promotion that was played ago. two months in Malaga; and the result, by the way, was the same, although then Logroñés rose on penalties.
But with both in the Second Division, Castellón gave the feeling of being more done to the category; he played with more control and scored on the best play of the game.
(+) See the summary of the match
But as happened in the final of the ascent, when he believed he had everything done, an act of faith – in which the Moroccan Ousama Siddiki participated as at that time – ended in a goal for the Riojans and with a point for each.
Logroñés was the one who tried the most in the first half. He found himself in front of a Castellón bent on the control game, but without depth, and that is why although the Riojans had a little less the ball, they were the only ones who shot to the opposite goal.
The game had actually started with the same dynamics of both teams, with great fear of both of them failing and, as a result, a shallow game, almost as if only midfield mattered.
But already after ten minutes, Logroñés changed his attitude and although he did not choose to control the ball, he did stretch and was ambitious.
The starting point of this change in attitude was the first dangerous shot from La Rioja, by Andy, after ten minutes of play.
Since then, all attacking football corresponded to the local team, while that of Castellón was limited to actions that died before reaching the area, with the exception of a play in the 23rd minute in which defender Olaetxea knocked down Fidalgo inside the area, although the referee did not consider it a penalty.
Except for that, until the break, the entire attack corresponded to Logroñés, who had six corner kicks and in one of them had his best opportunity, in a shot by Andy that Óscar stopped on the goal line.
Castellón was another after the break. He controlled the ball as much or more than before, but he did have more attack presence and simply with that he took the game.
Because the Castellón team made the Logroñés – increasingly tired – delay a few meters and for many minutes he was not able to play with the depth of before.
Iago López saved the Rioja in the 56th minute, when a Castellón attacker entered the area alone, in a clear warning from who was in charge of the match.
There were not many more “arrivals” but the dynamics of the game remained the same until in minute 73 Rubén Díez finished with a lot of quality a combination play by his team.
At times Logroñés seemed “knocked out” but reacted desperately and with more attacking players on the field, at a time, in addition, in which Castellón had been left with one less after the just expulsion of Gálvez.
One of them, David Rodríguez, “Roni”, was the one who starred in the last shot of the match, in the 93rd minute, in an assist from Ousama Sidiki and finally made the cry “goal in Las Gaunas” sounded in Second , but in favor of Logroñés.
Data sheet:
Unión Deportiva Logroñés: Miño; Iñaki, Gorka, Alex Pérez, Iago López; Oussama, Andy, Errasti (Unai Medina, m.77), Zelu (Roni, m.77); Olaetxea; and Ander Vitoria (Leo Ruiz, m.63).
Castellón: Oscar; Satrústegui, Gálvez, Lapeña, Muguruza; Mateu, Séné (Delgado, m.89), Carles Salvador, Jorge (Gus Ledes, m.83); Fidalgo (Rubén Díez, m.54) and Ortuño (Jordi Sánchez, m.54)
Goals: 0-1, M.73: Rubén Díez. 1-1, M.93: Roni
Referee: Galetz Apezteguia. Gálvez del Castellón sent off with a double yellow card in the 84th minute. He also admonished Fidalgo, from the visiting team.
Incidents: Match of the third day in LaLiga SmartBank played behind closed doors at the Las Gaunas stadium in Logroño.