A goal by Uruguayan Giovanni Zarfino six minutes from the end gave Tenerife a 1-1 draw at El Molinón on Sunday against Sporting that even escaped defeat thanks to a stoppage by Mariño in added time.
The start of Tenerife was remarkable. He started with momentum and took control of the ball, locking Sporting in his area from the kickoff, to the point that almost six minutes passed before the Asturian team could step on the opposite field.
The first shot with danger was from Suso Santana, but it came out excessively crossed, and in a row it was Fran Sol who finished with a head high in the moments of greatest stress for the local defense, unable to get the ball played under the pressure of the most advanced men of the island complex.
An error in Pedro Díaz's pass led to a steal of the ball by Tenerife in the vicinity of the local area, but Suso Santana's shot went high.
It was a similar play, but by Zarfino, the one that led to a robbery by Cumic, who fired from afar and the ball came out close to a post in the only play with some danger from the sportinguistas throughout the first half.
Little by little the game was balanced and in the final stretch of the first half it developed more in the center of the field than in the vicinity of the areas.
Sporting's departure after the break was very different. He took a step forward that Tenerife accused, the possession of the ball was balanced and the first clear chance was for the locals in a foul on the edge of the area from Zarfino to Nacho Méndez that Pedro Díaz launched, forcing Ortolá to make a great save.
A play starring three homegrown players, Manu García, Nacho Méndez and Pedro Diaz served for Sporting to go ahead.
Manu García took the ball in the center of the field and sent it deep to Nacho Méndez, who went into the area and saw the arrival of Pedro Díaz, who in conflict with a defender managed to put a foot and cross the ball out of the reach of Ortolá.
The Canarian coach made three changes at the same time looking for the reaction of his team and was about to achieve the equalized Zarfino with a header that went away by centimeters.
He did it minutes later by acrobatic touching a center in Pomares and beating Mariño in a parable, who later saved his team from defeat by taking a point-blank shot from Shashoua.
(+) See the summary of the match:
Sporting: Mariño, Bogdan, Pelayo Suárez, Borja López, Saúl García, Javi Fuego (Gragera m, 82), Pedro Díaz, Cumic (Aitor García m, 57), Manu García, Nacho Méndez and Djurdjevic (Álvaro Vázquez m, 82)
Tenerife: Ortolá, Moore (Shashoua m, 82), Alberto, Sipcic, Pomares, Suso Santana (Apeh m, 72), Zarfino, Aitor Sanz (Bermejo m, 72), Nono (Folch m, 72), Vada (Jacobo m , 58) and Fran Sol.
Goals: 1-0, m.64: Pedro Díaz. 1-1, m.84: Zarfino.
Referee: Arcediano Monescillo (Castilian-La Mancha Committee). He showed a yellow card to Moore, Zarfino, Aitor García and Jacobo.
Incidents: Match of the sixth day of the Smartbank League played in El Molinón without an audience.