CE Olot secured a hard-fought 1-0 home victory against CE Manresa at the Municipal Stadium, capitalizing on a first-half penalty converted by Walid Meddeb despite playing the final 40 minutes a man down following Oriol Ayala’s straight red card.
Walid Meddeb Converts Decisive Penalty at Municipal Stadium
Playing their second home fixture after defeating Barça Atlètic 2-0, Roger Vidal’s squad took control early against a Manresa side that arrived with 14 points, just one back of Olot. The visitors threatened immediately when a stinging effort from Guzmán rattled off the crossbar, and goalkeeper Ballesté was forced into an early save from a visiting shot. Olot found their rhythm near the 20-minute mark through Marc Tenas. The defining moment arrived in the 25th minute when the referee pointed to the spot after a Manresa defender handled the ball inside the area. Meddeb stepped up and calmly sent visiting goalkeeper Óscar Pulido the wrong way to break the deadlock.
Defensive Resilience Secures Three Points Down to Ten Men
The match turned dramatically shortly after the interval. Oriol Ayala received a straight red card in the 50th minute, leaving the hosts shorthanded. Roger Vidal immediately pulled Tenas to introduce Lluc Marguí and shore up the structure. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Olot nearly doubled their lead through a well-worked set piece that Rai Marchan failed to convert cleanly. As the clock wound down, the volcanic team relied on disciplined defending to repel a barrage of late crosses and secure the clean sheet.
Standings Impact and Next Fixtures
The 1-0 victory vaults Olot into third place in the standings, capping a perfect six-point haul from their consecutive home matches. The result also extends Olot’s unbeaten run to six games as the club celebrates the conclusion of the Fires de Sant Narcís celebrations. Manresa drops points on the road despite a late surge that included a long-range drive from Montes safely gathered by Ballesté in two attempts before the halftime whistle.
