Two missed penalties condemn Portugalete

Justice was not served in Florida. Portugalete overwhelmed Laredo at all times and was far superior to its rival. He did all the merits to achieve a victory, but nothing is worth without success. The pitcher team had up to two penalties, but Puras became the big name of the game by stopping the two maximum penalties thrown by Salado and Monterde. The ‘Charles’ scored the only goal of the match with a spectacular goal from Álvaro García. In this way, Ezequiel Loza’s men fall to the penultimate position of the table with five points in six days.

From the opening whistle, the match had a dizzying intensity. The meeting did not allow blinks and even less, distractions of any kind from the players who were on the green. Both teams made suffocating pressure and tried to hurt the rival with direct play and aerial ball. Each duel was essential in the face of the opposite area and in this area, Portugalete prevailed. The vases they were superior in disputes, well accustomed to this approach in Florida. That is why they were the only ones to try their luck in the first half. Monterde, Güemes and Salado tried in different ways, but failed to put Puras in too much trouble.

Just at the end of the half hour of shock, Álex Pérez committed a penalty on Güemes. Antonio Salado was in charge of throwing the maximum penalty, but Puras spoiled the party for the Portuguese with a great save to the powerful shot from below, that was attached to the right post of the goal. Just two minutes after the missed penalty, Mario Musy built a great individual play that he defined with a cross shot, but he found himself again with the legs of the Cantabrian goalkeeper. They were the best minutes for Portugalete in the first half. However, it was Laredo who took advantage of this situation, with Ezequiel Loza’s men focused on opening the can. In the 34th minute, Álvaro García converted a play without apparent danger into a goal by the entire squad from the three-quarter zone. Quite a blow to the morale of the locals.

In the second half, Portugalete continued to haunt Laredo with numerous hits on the wings and several corners, which were finished by practically all of them. In the 53rd minute, Portugalete again enjoyed another penalty from Toboso. This time I know Esteve Monterde commissioned the launch. He opted for a shot to the center trying to deceive Puras, but the goalkeeper of the ‘Charles’ endured him perfectly and returned to save his own. The tremendous superiority of Portugalete did not translate into goals and Laredo defended themselves as best they could, having in the last half hour several opportunities to counterattack.

In the last thirty minutes, Portugalete was reduced, probably due to the psychological damage caused by missing two penalties and had no options to turn the result around. Laredo won three valuable points against a direct rival and the pitchers could not get the prize they deserved in this challenge.