CD Torrevieja (0) Benidorm CD (0)
By Steve Hibberd
The management team of CD Torrevieja wasted no time in strengthening the squad, following the disappointing result at Ilicitana last Sunday. So, it´s a big Torry welcome to striker Andrey Bezhonov, who has signed from Catalonia side Can Vidalet.
Russian Bezhovov has previously played for Anzi, Dinamo Bryansk and Khimik Koryazhma (not easy to pronounce after a few pints!) in his homeland, plus Shakhtor Soligorsk of Belarus and Ilikstes from Latvia.
Meanwhile, boss man Manu Sanchez was insisting that his lads could bounce straight back from a shock first defeat of the season, so a home match against lowly Benidorm (a late league replacement for expelled Pinoso) was an ideal opportunity to rectify the setback. However, following their victory last week against top of the table Indep Alicante, some did wonder if the manager’s optimism might have been just a little too much.
Unfortunately the manager’s resolve didn’t seem to have rubbed off on the players as the first period got underway with very little enterprise. One change to the starting lineup saw the inclusion of Bezhovov with Omar relegated to the bench but perhaps it was a little too early for the big Russian to show any of the promise that the manager brought him in for.
Indeed, in a half of few chances the best opportunity fell to Benidorm’s leading goalscorer Migo. Fortunately the striker miscontrolled the ball when it might have been easier to score. Rulo brought off a save from Benidorm keeper Dan early on but it was the only Torry chance of the half so with neither team showing very much promise we hoped that the half time team talks might make a difference to the 2nd session.
Fortunately it did just that with both teams making rather more of an effort than we had previously seen. Benidorm were not the ‘push overs’ that their league position suggests and they too made a better fist of an entertaining second period.
With most of the chances falling to the home side the final 0-0 scoreline was a little disappointing for Torry, but not as disheartening as keeper Juampe’s injury time send off with the very last play of the day. As Benidorm’s Hugo broke into the half the stopper was the only player in the Torrevieja half so when he took the strikers legs it seemed inevitable that the referee would produce a red card which unfortunately brings him a one match ban that will keep him out of next week’s local derby fixture in Orihuela.
Despite being taken off with a quarter of the game remaining the new Russian acquisition did enough to suggest that he could make a difference in the weeks to come so with a week getting to better know his new team mates we might hopefully see a little more of what he has to offer next week.
Keep up to date with the latest news and information at the Torrevieja website on which next week’s match information for the short trip to La Murada Municipal Stadium will be posted toward the middle of the week.
Images: Julie Day
