CD THADER – 1 TORRELLANO CF – 1 (THADER WIN 5-4 ON PENALTIES)
BY STEVE HIBBERD
This provincial final of the 77th Copa San Pedro, involved 2 teams that had previously met only 3 weeks before in the group stages. On that occasion, at Moi Gomez stadium, Rojales, visitors Torrellano emerged triumphant, leaving Thader sweating on qualification. Fortunately, they lived to fight another day, resulting in a further meeting against a team one division above them in the pyramid system.
El Palmeral (home of Callosa Deportiva) was chosen as the neutral venue for this match. Even before ko, it emerged that Thader would be further handicapped, when it was revealed that they would only have 2 players on the bench (1 outfield & 1 keeper), due to various commitments outside football.
Both sides approached this match in a cautious manner, with Thader creating more chances of the two. By the 14th min, Torrellano had incurred 2 bookings, the 2nd of which Mena put the resultant free kick narrowly over the bar. Five mins later, Mena once again proved his worth, when a goal bound effort was well saved by keeper Borja.
When a 3rd yellow card was brandished to a Torrellano player midway through the 1st half, it looked odds on that they´d be lucky to finish the match with 11 men. How Sentere headed wide of an open goal at the far post on 25 mins, only he knows.
Sergio needed to be alert, when he punched away a speculative long range Torrellano effort from beneath his bar, as the tide was rapidly turning. Just before the half time whistle sounded, Sentere again fluffed his lines, this time he headed into the other side netting from a corner.
Scrappy, is a very apt word to describe the opening stages of the 2nd half, when all that was on offer was a booking apiece. Mena shot wide on 57 mins, before the impasse was broken on 65 mins. A glorious assist to Rubio, who took the ball in his stride, was confidently despatched past Sergio from 20 yards, giving Torrellano the lead.
Just when it looked like the end was nigh, up stepped man of the match Mena, to strike a magnificent 30 yard blockbuster into the far corner of the net, thus levelling the scores. That´s how it remained when ref Emilio Jiminez blew the whistle for full time.
As no extra time was scheduled, the match entered penalties shoot out stage, with Torrellano converting the first spot kick. Serhiy levelled the scores, before Sergio saved the next one. When Fran put his away, followed by Sergio brilliantly saving another, the omens were looking good. But, Pepelu shot straight at the keeper, followed by Torrellano converting their 4th attempt.
Adrian made no mistake, as Thader regained the advantage, before Torrellano scored again. This meant that captain Juan just needed to score to put his side into the main final, but unfortunately his effort was brilliantly saved. So, into sudden death, a Torrellano conversion, was followed by Mena scoring with aplomb.
When Sergio watched the next penalty go wide of his post, all eyes were on sub Berni to win the match for Thader. And guess what? He only went and did it!!!!
Jose Rico Perez stadium (home of Hercules CF) Alicante, will be the venue for the main final, in which Thader will play San Blas CF. Can they go all the way? Check out next weeks ´The Leader´ to find out, or visit CD Thader facebook page for further info.
