By Juan Fernández
It was said by Álvaro Cervera, who is a football man and speaks with knowledge. “It didn’t look like a football match, it looked like something else.” And it’s true. Because it is impossible to explain from a technical or football point of view how Oviedo was able to beat Sporting again. He did it by being faithful to his coach’s style book, giving the ball to Sporting, waiting behind and putting the knife in the only one he had, which was a penalty. There were no more clear blue occasions and almost no approaches. No need he did. But there was a proper name: Koba Lein. The French midfielder has not played since September and in a couple of flashes he showed that he is a footballer to be reckoned with. As soon as he left he controlled a ball in the corner. It may seem simple, but neither Rama, nor Jimmy, nor Viti nor Luismi did it before. Moments later he controlled another, raised his head, got into the area and Cali ran over him. Penalty and derby for Oviedo. He didn’t give her time for much more, but it was enough. A bit of faith, trade, a drink of Koba… and another derby that ends with a blue victory.
The first great joy of the Pachuca project
The first Asturian derby Pachuca-Orlegi ended like almost all the previous ones since the reunion: with blue bingo. Oviedo achieved the seventh victory against Sporting since 2017. The balance is overwhelming in favor of the carbayones: seven wins, one loss and three draws. With Carso, with Pachuca, with Ziganda, with Anquela…Oviedo –it’s obvious– has the measure of the eternal rival in their direct duels. The victory in the derby is the first small joy of the Pachuca project in the blue club after a start that went from puddle to puddle. Jesús Martínez watched the game from Mexico as a family and his trusted man in the city, President Martín Peláez, was a nervous wreck several hours before the game, aware of the significance of the match. In Asturias: Pachuca 1-Orlegi 0.
One goal in five games
By Angel Cabranes
The lack of punching was seen again in the derby. The rojiblancos left Tartiere empty after a new day without being able to score. In the last five games, Abelardo’s men have only been able to score one goal. It was Zarfino’s, in Lugo. Everything, after dominating Oviedo at the beginning and ending up giving up defeat in a clear penalty from Cali. The dynamics of the game made us expect something more. In the first part, Sporting was hungry. The rojiblancos starred in the first quarter of an hour, possibly becoming one of the team’s best in a derby since the reunion. Jony was about to score after fifteen seconds. Abelardo’s men went into the break with six shots on goal, three of them between sticks. They did not test the meta carbayón again. Not even the strength from set pieces managed to equalize when Oviedo had already taken the lead. Christ had it, twice, but without success.
Jordan, Aitor and Cristo join the collapse
Sporting had entered much better than its rival. Dominated even in the Tartiere and won by blows. The rest time was bad for the rojiblancos. The restart returned a much more balanced match, with fewer approaches to the area on either side. El Pitu entered Jordan for Djuka with the apparent purpose of placing Otero in attack to catch a ball into space. It didn’t work. Nor was Aitor taking over for a Jony who had been asking for a change many minutes before. The next thing was to see Cristo enter for Christian Rivera, with the score already adverse for the people of Gijón after Bastón’s penalty. The man from Tenerife had a couple of options after catching a second set piece. Strategy actions were the only resource that Abelardo’s team took advantage of after the break. Complete collapse.
