Elche 1 Seville 1
With Seville 7th and Elche in 18th place, on paper this appears a good result for Elche, and a point much appreciated, but the reality was the home side almost won it. Elche were in a poor run having lost their four last matches, and been sinking slowly down the table after good early season results had put them mid-table.
Damian Suarez returned at right back after suspension, with Peligrin partnering Lomban in the middle of the back four. Javi Marquez was preferred to Carlos Sanchez in midfield alongside Ruben Perez and Carles Gil, and Aaron keeping out Fidel on the wide left. Coro was supporting Boakye up front, and for Seville old Arsenal favourite Antonio Reyes is still playing upfront in a big, fast, capable side.
20,014 well-wrapped-up souls turned up to watch the match on a cold, late Saturday evening, including several thousand noisy fans who had made the long journey from Andalucia. The first half was largely uneventful as both sides tried unsuccessfully to settle into a pattern. Albacar got clear on the left to cross to Javi Marquez, his weak shot went wide as we waited anxiously for the class of the visitors to appear: it didn’t, and Elche began to believe in themselves.
With five minutes to go to halftime the Franjiverdes got a free kick outside the box, and we all held our breath, knowing left back and dead ball specialist Edu Albacar can deliver from such situations – but his shot sailed over the bar, 0 – 0 at half-time – but Elche were shading it as they improved.
Two minutes into the second half and from an Albacar corner the ball was cleared out to Perez: the on-loan player from Athletico fizzed a low shot just outside the post. Amidst a flurry of Elche attacks suddenly Seville’s Columbian striker Bacca found himself all alone in front of goal with only goalkeeper Tono to beat, but somehow put it wide to great Illicitano relief; moments later an Elche mix-up ended with the ball cleared from the line with Tono beaten.
As the pressure mounted Elche coach Fran Escriba rang the substitutes: first Fidel for Aaron, then with 12 minutes to go Christian on for the limping Carles Gil. Only three minutes later Coro fed Fidel, whose pinpoint cross found Christian at the near post.
The new young Elche striker’s glancing header was perfectly placed past Beto in the Seville goal, to wild home goal-starved delight, only the 17th in 19 games so far. Christian’s goal was similar to his goal against Valencia six weeks ago when he came on and scored the winner.
With the ecstatic crowd urging them on Elche looked in control, but with only two minutes left conceded a corner. It was played short, but as the defence tried to move out the near post cross was headed by Carrico to send the visiting fans home in relief, Elche diehards shaking their heads in anger and disbelief. Yes, sure, 1 – 1 was a fair result against a good La Liga side riding high, but the Franjiverdes badly needed the three points to keep away from relegation.
Next Saturday Elche are again at home,, this time to second-bottom club Rayo Vallecano at a more civilised time of 6pm. The Madridlenos beat Elche 3 – 0 on the opening day of the season, but have been struggling ever since. With Saturday’s encouraging display and result against a good Sevilla side Elche must take heart that their form has returned: game on…
Mucho Elche!
Photo: www.elchecf.es
Filed under: http://www.theleader.info/article/42189/
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