After an exhibition of perseverance, courage and a good nose for counters, Oviedo Femenino reached the penalties of the cup tie against Alavés, of the highest category, in a clash with duende, the one that had Tartiere as a witness. He had already shown his face when the pitchers headed towards the goal of the North End. It was there, in the usually busiest area of the stadium, where the dream vanished. Jana, visiting goalkeeper, was enormous to stop three shots and give Alavés the ticket to the next round. The cruel outcome does not detract one iota of merit from the work of Álex Rodríguez’s men, who hit the post twice before 90 minutes to close their way in the Copa de la Reina with their heads held high from the Tartiere lawn.
Those of Álex Rodríguez came out very well planted. The ball would be from Alavés, that seemed clear, but the blues left the right to counter. And they always seemed to find the best way, especially when Isina, who moved across the entire attack front, teamed up with both flanks. The game started with dynamite, because before the minute was up Sara had to intervene to clear a hard shot from Gema for a corner. It took Oviedo just over two minutes to show their weapons on the counter: Isina’s shot failed to avoid the blockade of the Vitoria defense.
The passing of the minutes served to accentuate the roles. Alavés, bottom team in the top flight, always tried to look for superiority in the middle, using the ball as a pretext to look for the blue goal. But the Carbayona defense held firm. It gave the impression that the blue ones had more sparkle, more spiciness in each galloping attack. Bermell enjoyed a very clear option after half an hour but defined a great cross from Walsh up front, after combining on the right with Isina.
The prize, however, would not come on the counter, but on set pieces. Isina put it closed and the visitor’s goal, Jana, relaxed in the blocking. Alejandra, attentive to details, put her knee in to bring the ball into the net. The script seemed to follow the orders of Álex Rodríguez, who saw the opportunity to review their ideas and refresh their legs at half-time. But misfortune met just before the break. A corner that didn’t seem to serve as a strategic action in which Miriam finished off twice in the blue area, the second into the net.
It seemed that the second act entered the same paths with the two teams willing to run. Sara defined the side of the net just when Oviedo began to lose meters. Perhaps due to a physical issue, Alavés took control, although the game went into torpor in terms of occasions. The changes stirred up the clash again in the final stretch.
Oviedo, far behind in the second part, hit two prize-winning blows. In the first, an exquisite toue from Isina went to the crossbar after scoring Jana. It was minute 85. Three later, and after a disallowed goal for the visitors, it was Kimberlyn, recently admitted, who crashed into the crossbar.
The game went to extra time with the feeling that there would be many spaces. It was Oviedo who knew how to exploit them best, but neither Anina, nor Walsh, nor Isina, in a spectacular Chilean kick, found the prize.
For the visitors, who seemed to have a gear less, it all came down to an action by Chamorro, clear that yes: the ball crashed into the post. Sara, a blue goalkeeper, was injured in her clash with Vallejo. Solana supplied him.
From then on, Oviedo had a hard time, with the game already broken. But he knew how to defend the tie and take everything to penalties, where Jara made up for the mistake in Alejandra’s goal to save three shots: Isina, Riquelme and Walsh and give the pass to Alavés.
